What’s your plan for New Year’s Eve?
This is probably the most asked question right now as 2014 bids us goodbye, and we look forward to welcoming 2015 with a bang.
With Christmas and New Year’s Eve fast approaching, we list a few ways you can score last-minute deals for your celebrations. You’re welcome – and don’t forget to make some financial resolutions for 2015 too!
Entertainment & Shopping
Whether you’re flying out of the UAE for the Christmas and New Year holidays or staying back, make the most of your shopping and entertainment by cashing in on discounts, freebies and promotions.
[Related: Flying? Don’t forget the Dubai Duty Free sale]
| Activity | Credit card discount | Details | |
| Heading out of the country for a Christmas and New Year break? Shop at a discount at the Dubai Duty Free (DDF), while you’re at the airport. | Get 10% off your shopping at DDF with the Dubai Duty Free American Express Card. | This offer applies on select stores at DDF. Be sure to check before you purchase. | Get this card |
| Watch movies at half-price. Xmas releases in the UAE are: Paddington; Into The Woods; and The Water Diviners. New Year releases are: Legend of the NeverBeast (3D); and The Homesman. | Get 50% off tickets at VOX cinemas with the Standard Chartered Titanium Card. Also get buy-one, get-one-free offers and discounts through the Standard Chartered privileges program. |
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Get this card |
| Watch movies for free. | Get two free movie tickets a month with the SimplyLife Credit Card. | Spend a minimum of AED 1,500 in a month to be eligible for the movie offer. Maximum cashback amount for free tickets: AED 70. |
Get this card |
| Miss a white Christmas? Head out to the Dubai Ice Rink for skating sessions. | Buy one, get one free ticket offer with Emirates Islamic Cards. | Valid until 30 June 2015. | Get this card |
| Send an Xmas or New Year gift card (from 70+ retailers such as the Majd Al Futtaim malls, Swarovski, Baby Shop or Ski Dubai) to your friends from yougotagift.com. | Use the promotion code ENBD50OFF when buying online with the Emirates NBD Cards to get AED 50 off. | Offer only for first purchase. | More info |
| Buy your partner some designer jewelry for the year end. | Get 50% off at Sarky Jewelry with ADIB Cards. | Offer on diamond jewelry. | Get this card |
| Pick up your New Year’s Eve party attire from Namshi.com. | Get 20% off with Mashreq Cards. | Offer for shopping online. | More info |
[Related: Big-screen movie deals and cinema offers]
Beauty & Spa
Get ready for the many parties the festive season will see you attending – with discounts and installment plans from your credit cards.
| Activity | Credit card discount | Details | |
| Tone up for the X’mas and New Year parties at the Mina A’Salam Talise Fitness Club, Madinat Jumeirah. | With the CBD World MasterCard and CBD Visa Infinite credit cards, get free access and valet parking at Mina A’Salam Talise Fitness Club, the squash court, group exercise classes, health club, swimming pool, steam and sauna. | Valid until 15 June 2015. | Get this card |
| Treat yourself to massage treatments Talise Spas in Emirates Towers, Madinat Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Hotel or Zabeel Saray. | Get 20% off when you pay using CBD World MasterCard and CBD Visa Infinite credit cards. | Valid until 15 June 2015. | Get this card |
| Get beauty treatments at VLCC. | After purchase, convert your spending to installment plans of up to six months at 0% with Emirates Islamic cards. | Valid until 30 June 2015. After booking, you have to call the bank’s call center to convert the transaction into installments. Customers will need to provide details of the transaction amount, date and merchant details. |
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| Treat yourself to massage treatments at Mandara Spas, Sheikh Zayed Road. | Get 20% off when you pay using Standard Chartered Cards. | Valid until 28 February 2015. | Get this card |
Dining
You can enjoy hearty dinners during the holiday season with special offers on MasterCard or Visa credit cards.
| Activity | Credit card discount | Details | |
| Dine at various restaurants in the UAE, such as Conrad Dubai, GQ Bar and Desert Palm Polo Club. | Get buy one, get one free meals and special dining offers with all MasterCard credit cards with the Priceless Arabia offer. | There are different validity dates for different restaurants. Be sure to check when you enter. | More info |
| Dine at various restaurants in the UAE, such as Le Meridien, Kempinski Palm Jumeirah and Radisson Blue. | Get discounts and special offers with all Visa credit cards with the Visa Fine Dining offer. | There are different validity dates for different restaurants. Be sure to check when you enter. | More info |
Jet Set Go
Spend Christmas with family as you fly back home or celebrate New Year in exotic destinations. Be sure to check for deals on your cards. Here are a few…
| Activity | Credit card discount | Details | |
| Holiday in Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Athens, Istanbul or the Maldives with deals from holiday-factory.com starting at AED 2,390. | Convert the holiday spending to an installment plan of up to 12 months at 0% with ADCB, Emirates NBD or NBAD credit cards. | After booking, you need to call the bank’s call center to convert the transaction into installments. Customers will need to provide details about the transaction amount, date and merchant details. | More info |
| Fly for free | Transfer your balance from another bank’s card to a United Arab Bank Credit Card and earn UAB reward points which can be redeemed for free flight tickets. Also get a 0% rate for balance transferred in the first six months. |
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| Fly British Airways | Get 15% off British Airways flight tickets (one-way or return) with an HSBC Premier credit card. |
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More info |
| Fly for free | Sign up for the ADIB Etihad Guest Visa Platinum Card and get 50,000 Etihad Guest Miles free. | 50,000 Etihad Guest Miles can get you one of the following:
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