Holding an airline credit card is handy except when the carrier does not offer the flight and prices that you want. When your airline does not fly to your destination of choice or another offers a better deal, the precious miles you earned are not useful.
A major drawback of co-branded cards has been that they can be used on only one airline or just a handful of others. However, in the age of budget airlines and online travel booking sites such as Expedia and Travelocity, a card that expands rewards to several travel merchants would be more practical for the price-conscious consumer.
Citibank introduced a card last year to appeal to those more interested in the cheapest flights rather than convenience or loyalty to a carrier. The reward points on the Citi Travel Pass credit card can be used toward paying an airfare. You also get discounts with several airlines, restaurants and hotels every time you pay with the card.
"There are people out there who look at many different airlines and there are consumers here who are opting for shorter flights and a lot of weekend trips," says William Keliehor, Citi's head of cards in the region.
You earn one point for every US$1, or Dh3.67, spent on a Travel Pass card. A current promotion starts you off with 15,000 points when you sign up for the card. To use your reward points towards paying for a flight you call Citi, which will then find a flight based on availability and book it upon your consent. A Citi spokesman says the airlines it uses for bookings "primarily range from mid-range to budget carriers".
Products such as the Citi Travel Pass, which cater to an activity or a lifestyle, and expand the rewards rather than limit it to a merchant, are known as affinity cards. For the most part, the travel industry and banks have been slow to introduce affinity cards.
Most products in the UAE, and even in the US, are co-branded credit cards with airlines or hotels.
HSBC's Air Miles is another affinity programme. It offer one point for every dollar spent and double that at select merchants such as Spinneys. Under Citi's reward system, 19,000 points will earn you a free flight to Beirut; 24,000 would take you to Mumbai, Delhi or Alexandria, and 49,000 would land you in Manila. With HSBC's air miles programme, you need 95,000 points for a free flight to Beirut or Mumbai.
If you have not earned enough points for a free ticket with the Citi Travel Pass card, you can pay for up to 50 per cent of the remainder by buying points at 2.4 cents for each.
Aside from the reward points, Egypt Air, Gulf Air and SriLankan Airways offer discounts when you pay with the Citi card. Jet Air allows you to pay the fare interest-free over a six-month instalment period.
Egypt Air discounts 10 per cent on economy tickets and 15 per cent on business class, while Gulf Air offers 10 per cent off flights to London, Paris, Frankfurt, Athens, Kuala Lumpur and several destinations in the Middle East, India and Pakistan. SriLankan Airways offers a 10 per cent discount on its flights to Sri Lanka and some destinations in India.
The airline partners make the card appealing for consumers who frequently fly to destinations in the Middle East, North Africa and South East Asia. Hotels that offer discounts to Citi Travel Pass cardholders include Rotana in Fujairah, Golden Tulip hotels in Khasab and Seeb, both in Oman, and the Chedi in Muscat. Several restaurants in Abu Dhabi and Dubai hotels also offer discounts when you use the card to pay your bill.
Citi charges an annual fee of Dh400 on the Travel Pass card. Citi also offers co-branded Emirates credit cards with different reward options and annual fees ranging from Dh300 to Dh3,000.
One of the co-branded cards, Emirates-Citibank Ultimate credit card, costs Dh1,000 a year and offers 1.5 points for every dollar spent. The reward also include access to airport lounges and a two nights' free stay at various hotels across the Middle East and Africa. A Citi customer representative said the Ultimate card would appeal to consumers who seek convenience, while the Travel Pass would cater more to price-conscious consumers.
Another affinity card in the UAE is Standard Chartered's Manhattan card, which offers discounts at most UAE cinemas, The Loft and Ciro's Pomodoro night clubs, Ski Dubai and Al Boom Diving.
@Email:mjalili@thenational.ae
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at Mount Maunganui
England 353
Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88
New Zealand 144-4
Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
Indika
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