Already an AED 400bn industry in the UAE, credit cards have seen a growth of close to 20 percent so far, this year. On an average, each person in the UAE has four credit cards.

Recently, banks have been upping their game and introducing a host of offers and incentives to get a bigger slice of the customer pie. What does this mean for you? More discounts and benefits, with credit card providers tripping over themselves to reward you better.

If you use your credit card intelligently, you can save a great deal of money and walk away with a lot of freebies. Here are some of the best deals.

Shopping

Whether you want to buy jewelry or furniture, groceries or everyday wear – there’s a credit card offer for every retail purchase you make. Especially good for new expats looking to do a big purchase of furniture or electronics.

[ Compare credit cards in the UAE ]

Where? What? Which cards? The small print
IKEA Buy now, pay in 3-, 6- or 12-month installment plans at 0% interest. All Emirates NBD credit cards Offer only for purchases of AED 500 or more.
Carrefour Buy now, pay in 3-, 6- or 12-month installment plans at 0% interest. All Emirates NBD credit cards Only for purchases of AED 500 or more.
Majd Al Futtaim Malls (Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, Deira, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah); Emaar Malls (The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall, Gold & Diamond Park, Souk Al Bahar) Convert Emirates Islamic Choice points into gift cards, pre-loaded with dirhams. 16,000 Choice points gives you AED 100 of MAF or Emaar Gift Cards. Emirates Islamic Rewards Platinum credit card For every dirham spent, earn two Choice points.
Sarky Jewelry Get 50% off diamond jewelry. ADIB Visa card
Joyalukkas, Damas, Malabar Gold & Diamonds Buy jewelry now, pay in installment plans of up to 12 months at 0% interest. ADCB, Citibank, First Gulf Bank, HSBC, NBAD, Najm, Emirates NBD, Mashreq Bank, Noor Bank, SAMBA Offer only for gold, diamond and pearl jewelry. Minimum purchase amount varies from bank to bank, but starts at AED 1,000.
Sharaf DG Buy electronics now, pay in installment plans of up to 12 months at 0% interest. Citibank, Emirates NBD, Mashreq Bank, NBAD, HSBC Offer only for purchases of AED 500 or more.

Holidays & Travel

Use your credit cards to get discounts for stays within the UAE, or flight tickets and holiday packages overseas:

Where? What? Which cards? The small print
Etihad Airways Get 50,000 Etihad Guest Miles as a joining bonus. If you spend AED 150,000 in a year, get a free companion ticket to any destination of your choice in any class. ADIB Etihad Guest Visa Platinum card You must have a minimum monthly salary of AED 15,000 to be eligible for this credit card. Annual fee of AED 2,000.
Holiday-Factory.com Book a discounted holiday package and pay in installment plans of up to 12 months at 0% interest. ADCB, NBAD, Emirates NBD Minimum purchase amount varies from bank to bank, but starts at AED 500.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts, The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa Pay for two nights and get the third one free. MasterCard Priceless Arabia is a network offer, available to all MasterCard holders from any bank. Offer valid until 31 December 2014.
Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort, Tilal Liwa Hotel, Pearl Hotel, Barracuda Resort, Cristal Hotel, Melia Hotel, Novotel and Ibis Abu Dhabi Gate Hotels Get up to 30% off for stay and dining. First Gulf Bank

Dining

Indulge your inner foodie with special benefits and dining discounts. Be sure to ask about discounts available with your credit card when you enter any restaurant.

Where? What? Which cards? The small print
50 restaurants from Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts Get up to 20% off dining at selected restaurants; others have a buy one, get one free offer. MasterCard Priceless Arabia is a network offer, available to all MasterCard holders from any bank. Every restaurant has an individual expiry date on this offer.
45 restaurants and 11 hotels on Sheikh Zayed Road Get up to 20% off food and beverages. All Emirates NBD credit cards
300+ restaurants Get up to 20% off food and beverages. Citibank‘s Gourmet Pleasures deal offer a discount on a new cuisine every month.

Leisure & Entertainment

No holiday is boring when you can get an adrenaline rush bungee jumping, hot air ballooning or scuba diving – all at reduced prices.

Where What Which cards The small print
VOX cinemas Get discounts and free tickets on 2D and 3D movies. All Visa Platinum and Infinite cards, Emirates NBD Go4it Platinum and Gold cards, HSBC Premier, Platinum & Advance credit card, Najm
All cinemas in UAE Get two free movie tickets per month. SimplyLife credit card To be eligible, you must spend AED 1,500 per month on your card. Maximum cashback for a pair of tickets is AED 70.
Wadi Adventure Get 50% off on admission and 10% off on all activities. All Emirates NBD credit cards  Offer valid until 31 December 2015.
Dreamland Aqua Park Get free admission on your second visit. Tickets are worth AED 135 per person. Emirates NBD Platinum credit card, Emirates NBD Infinite credit card A group of maximum 4 people can get this offer. You must present the receipt and tickets from your first visit.
Ski Dubai Get 30% off tickets for attractions such as Snow Penguin. Najm Discount is for maximum 6 tickets at each attraction.
Balloon Adventures Emirates, Gravity Zone, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Al Mahara Diving Centre, Dreamland Aqua Park, Dubai Dolphinarium, Yas Waterworld, Chill Out Ice Lounge Get up to 25% off activities. First Gulf Bank

School Fees & Driving Schools

Where? What? Which cards? The small print
Emirates Driving Institute Book a driving course and pay in installments of up to 12 months at 0% interest. ADCB, Emirates NBD Minimum purchase of AED 500 for 3 to 6 month installment plan and AED 1,000 for 12 month plans.
Emirates Driving Institute Up to 30% discount on the course fee. First Gulf Bank Offer applicable for Light Motor Vehicles and Motorcycle courses only.
All schools in UAE Convert school fee payments into installment plans of up to 12 months at 0% interest. Emirates NBD, Rakbank, ADCB, Najm, CBI You need to call the call center of your bank to convert the school fee payment into a payment plan after you have paid.