We can place a cash value on most things travel related: our plane tickets, our hotel stays… even exchanging our own money! There’s certainly no denying that exploring the world – or even our own city – comes at a cost, but the experiences and memories we make along the way are priceless.
The only thing better than ‘travel’ is ‘travel with awesome perks’. Now, despite many of us having a Mastercard in our wallets, it was only last week that we discovered just how many offers, long-term benefits and travel hacks come with it. It’s hard to believe that we have access to all of this, so we had to verify it for ourselves… and for all of you who need to start making the most of your Mastercard – right now.
We put Mastercard to the travel test!
No cash. Just Mastercard. We spent 48 hours living like tourists in Dubai…
Cruised through the city: After booking online with Mastercard, we skipped the queue and picked up our SUV from Hertz at Dubai airport. Big discount + a free upgrade: success!
Lived the high-life: We couldn’t drive down SZR without stopping at Burj Khalifa for the AED 99 tickets to At The Top with Mastercard. Fast track priority pass + a complimentary beverage + the tallest building in the world: success!
Enjoyed Caribbean vibes at Nikki Beach Resort & Spa: Mastercard has curated many priceless city experiences around the world, so we booked an exclusive surfside dining experience at Key West. Caribbean-themed menu + a private hosting with Chef Olivier Hilton: success!
Sampled the #SuiteLife: You already know we’re fans of Atlantis The Palm, so to be able to book a discounted night of luxury plus a day of action-packed adventure was awesome! 25% off our room rate + free access to Aquaventure + 25% off resort-wide: success!
Watched the sun setting on our 48 hours of fun: You don’t always have to pay to experience a city adventure! Wandering the streets of the world (or your own city) can be equally as rewarding, so we finished our two days of fun in our secret spot to watch the sunset on our city, Dubai.
That’s just a little snapshot of what we tested, but there’s still SO much more you need to know…
Priceless offers to check out right now
Whether you’re flying in from Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, or you are already a UAE resident, there are so many Mastercard offers to take advantage of before it’s too late! Here are our favourites:
Fast track your way to the top of Burj Khalifa…
- The offer: Fast track entry to At The Top, Burj Khalifa with a complimentary drink for AED 99 (you can purchase up to 4 tickets!)
- When the offer ends: September 30th, 2018
- Book the offer online here
Experience one of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks at Atlantis The Palm…
- The offer: 25% off room rates and suite rates (with free Aquaventure Waterpark access & The Lost Chambers Aquarium access, plus 25% off at select restaurants). If you’re not staying, you can still get 25% discount at the spa, The Lost Chambers and Aquaventure Waterpark!
- When the offer ends: October 17th, 2018
- Book the offer online here
But that’s not all… Mastercard also has a Spend & Win offer until September 15th, 2018, for all UAE and KSA Mastercard cardholders. This gives travellers a chance to win $2,500 every week! How? Simply use your Mastercard three times in one week while abroad, and you could be the lucky winner!
Want more? Here’s a full list of Mastercard offers for UAE cardholders, Kuwait cardholders and KSA cardholders.
Mastercard benefits and travel perks
Okay, so the limited offers above are awesome, but what about the long-term travel benefits of being (or becoming!) a Mastercard cardholder in the UAE or in Kuwait or in KSA? If, like us, you had no idea how many cool long-term benefits there are, you need to take note and become a little more travel savvy!
- Travel addicts: did you know that Mastercard holders get lounge access at hundreds of airports?!
- You can use the promo code ‘Mastercard’ to get Careem discounts!
- Make the most of access to Priceless city experiences around the world
- Awesome car rental discounts and upgrades with Hertz and Avis
- You get better exchange rates when you pay using local currency!
- Additional travel protection for World Mastercard cardholders
- Better exchange rates when withdrawing money from an ATM
- Remember: these benefits apply to both debit and credit cards, and may vary depending on which Mastercard tier you are!
You can never replace that memory of your sky-high family adventure in Dubai or that cultural culinary experience through Asia with friends, but you can replace the type of debit or credit card you currently use to ensure you travel smarter, travel cheaper and travel safer… We suggest you do just that.
Travel savings, awesome experiences and opportunities to win money back. Is there a travel companion that can match Mastercard? …Probably not!
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