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If you’ve traveled outside of the UAE before, you’ve probably had this moment: you check your bank account after getting home and wonder why your trip cost more than you expected.
It often isn't the flights or hotels that catch you out. It's the small things. Paying for coffee, grabbing an Uber, shopping in a local market. Every time you swipe your everyday card, you might be adding more foreign transaction fees or currency conversion charges to your bill.
The good news is that there are plenty of travel cards designed to make spending overseas easier and more cost-effective nowadays. The challenge is knowing which one to choose.
That's where this guide comes in. We'll compare six of some popular travel cards available to UAE residents, break down their fees and features, and help you find the right option for the way you travel.
We cover:
- Comparison table: 6 travel cards in the UAE for spending abroad
- How to choose the right card for spending abroad from the UAE
- Ziina Visa-Powered Cards
- Al Ansari Exchange Platinum Travel Card
- ADCB Traveller Credit Card
- Emirates NBD Skyward Infinite Credit Card
- FAB Travel Credit Card
Ziina is the first peer-to-peer payments app in the UAE that helps you keep costs low when spending abroad.
Comparison table: 6 cards in the UAE for spending abroad
| Card name* | Foreign exchange fees | Annual cost | Minimum monthly income requirements | Card type | Could be well-suited for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ziina Lite Card | No fees up to 3,000 AED monthly, and 0.5% thereafter | No annual membership fee | None | Virtual | Users looking for 0% currency conversion fees with no minimal income requirements |
Ziina Violet Card | No fees up to 20,000 AED monthly, and 0.5% thereafter | 996 AED (or 100 AED per month) | None | Virtual | Users looking for 0% currency conversion fees, premium benefits, and brand discounts |
Al Ansari Exchange Visa Platinum TravelCard1 | 0% for supported currencies and 3% for unsupported currencies1a (Any limits to be confirmed with provider) | Variable1a | None | Virtual & Physical1 | Users looking for multicurrency spending options |
ADCB Traveller Credit Card2 | 0% foreign currency fees2a (Any limits to be confirmed with provider) | 1,575 AED2a | 20,000 AED2 | Virtual & Physical | High spenders looking for cashback rewards on airline and hotel bookings |
Emirates NBD Skywards Infinite Credit Card3 | 1.99% currency conversion fee3a (Any limits to be confirmed with provider) | 1,575 AED3a | 30,000 AED3 | Virtual & Physical | Frequent flyers and high-income earners who want premium travel perks |
FAB Travel Credit Card4 | To be confirmed with provider | 1,500 AED4a | 20,000 AED4a | Virtual & Physical | Frequent flyers looking for flight and travel insurance benefits. |
Fees shown reflect publicly available standard pricing and may vary depending on card type, transaction volume, currency, settlement arrangement, additional services, and VAT. For the most up-to-date information, consult individual providers.
These products are not identical: the comparison includes virtual, prepaid and credit cards with different eligibility requirements, fees and benefits. The right option will depend on the customer’s spending habits and travel needs.
How to choose the right card for spending abroad from the UAE
While there’s no ‘best’ card for spending abroad, finding the right one for you comes down to how you use it.
For example, before deciding on a card, ask:
- What do the conversion fees look like? Using a regular UAE card abroad could sometimes cost you 2% – 3% per transaction in currency conversion fees. Travel cards, on the other hand, are designed to keep those costs lower – sometimes as low as 0%. It is also important to review subscription, ATM, card issuance and other applicable charges, as these may affect the overall cost.
- Are you a frequent flyer? If you want to earn airline miles or get airport lounge access, look for a card that offers travel rewards and benefits that match the way you fly. Some providers partner with specific airlines, so it may be worth choosing a card linked to the airline you use most often.
- Do you often travel in the GCC area? Depending on the provider, certain cards may offer more competitive fees when spending in neighboring GCC countries.
- Are you interested in brand discounts? Some premium cards include perks like VPN access, free hotel stays, discounts for booking platforms, or complimentary travel insurance. These cards might also offer deals for UAE-based brands, which is great for when you aren’t traveling.
- What level of security is important to you? Look for cards with easy app controls, instant freeze/unfreeze buttons, and fast customer support to protect against fraud. Virtual cards might also come with Face ID or virtual PIN numbers, which can add another layer of protection.
As a general rule, the right card is usually one that offers low currency conversion fees up to a limit that suits you, provides benefits that are important to you, and actually matches how often you travel.
Note: Make sure to check the minimum salary and eligibility requirements for each card, since that can quickly narrow down your options in the UAE.
Let’s get into our five options!
Ziina: Easily spend overseas with a virtual card
We’ll start by introducing ourselves: Ziina is a UAE peer-to-peer payment app that helps you travel overseas and keep costs low each time you swipe your card.
Using Ziina’s virtual card, you can spend directly from your Ziina Wallet anywhere that Visa is accepted. Add the card to e-wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay, and check your balance anytime within the Ziina app (which updates quickly with every transaction).
A Ziina Card is free to create and helps you save on international spending with 0% currency conversion fees up to your account limit. This depends on what type of Ziina account you have:
- Ziina Lite: Spend 3,000 AED per month without any currency conversion fees, and only pay a 0.5% fee for amounts over this limit.
- Ziina Violet: Spend 20,000 AED per month without any currency conversion fees, also with a 0.5% fee for any amount spent over the limit. You can also enjoy benefits from brands you love with over 850 AED in value each month.
For example, if you're using Ziina Lite and spend the equivalent of 4,000 AED in foreign currencies in one month, you'll only pay the 0.5% currency conversion fee on the AED 1,000 above your allowance. That's a fee of AED 5.
Other than that, the Ziina Card has zero fees for local AED transactions in the UAE. You don’t need to worry about sign-up fees or hidden fees, either.
Read more: Top 5 digital wallets in the UAE: A comprehensive guide
Please bear in mind that the Ziina Card doesn’t support ATM withdrawals, and it can only be used for purchases at merchants that accept Visa, including through Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Upgrade to Ziina Violet and increase your zero-fee spending limits & get exclusive everyday deals from 12 partner brands
If you’re using Ziina Lite and want higher spending limits abroad, you can simply upgrade to Ziina Violet, which is our premium lifestyle membership tier that costs 100 AED per month or 996 AED per year.
With a Violet account, you can create a Ziina Violet Card and gain access to a range of exclusive benefits, including:
- A higher limit for shopping abroad: Violet allows you to spend 20,000 dirhams per month in non-AED currencies without paying a single conversion fee. This allowance is automatically applied to your spending, regardless of whether you’re shopping online, in-person, in the UAE, or abroad.
- Balance Boost: A feature that automatically applies cashback when you pay with your Ziina Card at participating brands. Boosts land in your account at the end of your billing cycle.
- Priority support: Get dedicated support from a UAE-based team that aims to answer your call as quickly as possible.
You can also get exclusive deals and benefits from our 12 partner brands, including…
- Ounass – Receive cashback of up to 100 AED every month when you pay using your Ziina card on Ounass
- Deliveroo – Enjoy free delivery on eligible orders with an upgrade to Deliveroo Silver
- NordVPN – Use a free NordVPN Basic subscription anywhere in the world, whether you’re at home or abroad
- Bake My Day – Get a box of four cookies every month
- CAFU – Enjoy free fuel delivery with CAFU GO
… among others. Most benefits refresh automatically each month.
If you change your mind, you can cancel your membership anytime from the app. If you're on a yearly plan, your benefits will stay active until your plan ends.