Landing in the UAE comes with more than just a warm welcome and sunny skies. Whether you’re a solo explorer, a family on vacation, or a business traveler extending your trip, your journey begins with instant perks. Tourists flying into Dubai or Abu Dhabi can access a wide array of exclusive benefits—free SIM cards, discount cards, transport upgrades, and hundreds of offers at top attractions—all for simply arriving in the Emirates.

Welcome to Dubai: Start with a Free SIM Card

One of the first surprises awaiting tourists at Dubai International Airport (DXB) is a complimentary Tourism SIM card courtesy of du, one of the UAE’s major telecom providers. This SIM, available upon clearing immigration, offers 1GB of data valid for 24 hours, helping new arrivals navigate maps, make bookings, or connect with loved ones back home immediately.

Eligibility includes those arriving on visit visas, transit visas, or with visa-on-arrival, as well as GCC nationals. Tourists can upgrade their plan at du kiosks located at the airport or through Dubai Duty Free counters. Alternatives are also available from other major telecom providers, Etisalat and Virgin Mobile, which offer prepaid SIMs with competitive packages designed specifically for tourists, often bundled with international minutes and longer data validity.

This small but essential service ensures that visitors stay connected, which is especially useful for ride-hailing apps, translation tools, and ticketing platforms widely used across the UAE.

ALSAADA Card: Dubai’s Digital Welcome Kit for Tourists

With the SIM card in hand, visitors gain access to another benefit—a digital ALSAADA Tourist Card, Dubai’s official tourist discount programme run by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFAD).

To activate this card, tourists simply scan the QR code printed on the SIM card envelope, which directs them to download the ALSAADA mobile app, available on both Android and iOS. After a quick registration process, users can start exploring discounts and promotions available across restaurants, retail stores, wellness centers, leisure attractions, and shopping malls.

Unlike traditional paper coupons, the ALSAADA card is digital and updates in real-time, making it a handy tool for tourists wanting to make the most of their budget without carrying around brochures or discount books.

Chauffeur On Demand: Hire a Driver by the Hour

Exploring Dubai in comfort and style is easier than ever with the Hourly Rental limousine service offered by the Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC). This service allows tourists to book a professional chauffeur to drive them around the city in a private vehicle—ideal for sightseeing, business meetings, or shopping tours.

Surprisingly cost-effective, this service starts at AED 400 for two hours and goes up to AED 1,100 for ten hours, with packages tailored to fit a variety of travel needs. Unlike regular taxis, the limousine option does not include waiting time charges, and you only pay extra if you exceed the allotted hours or distance.

Booking is simple via the “DTC” app, which offers real-time scheduling and payment options. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Two hours: AED 400

• Four hours: AED 650

• Six hours: AED 800

• Eight hours: AED 900

• Ten hours: AED 1,100

• After package expiry: AED 3/km and AED 1/minute

This service is perfect for tourists planning to visit multiple locations in a single day, offering flexibility, comfort, and the prestige of private transport.

Show Your Boarding Pass, Get a World of Discounts

Perhaps the most surprising benefit of visiting the UAE is how your boarding pass becomes a ticket to savings. Two of the UAE’s flagship airlines, Emirates and Etihad Airways, offer special promotions for passengers who retain their boarding passes.

Emirates: “My Emirates Pass”

Emirates passengers can benefit from the My Emirates Pass, a seasonal discount programme that turns your boarding pass into an access card for offers at over 500 locations. Deals span across:

• Attractions like At The Top – Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame, and Museum of the Future

• Amusement parks such as IMG Worlds of Adventure and Aquaventure at Atlantis

• Retail outlets and luxury brands at malls like Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates

• Fine dining restaurants, cafés, and spas

Offers are available to those who present a valid physical or digital boarding pass, along with ID, and are usually valid for up to a month from the date of arrival (subject to seasonal dates—check Emirates’ official site for the latest validity periods).

Etihad Airways: “Abu Dhabi Pass”

Etihad passengers arriving in Abu Dhabi can access the Abu Dhabi Pass, offering similar benefits across the capital’s top destinations. Exclusive discounts are available at:

• Yas Island attractions, including Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, and Yas Waterworld

• Luxury hotels and spas, especially in Saadiyat Island and Corniche areas

• Dining establishments, from gourmet to family-friendly

These perks not only save tourists money but also encourage them to explore both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, enriching their travel experience.

The Bigger Picture: UAE’s Tourism-First Strategy

These offers are part of the UAE’s larger initiative to position itself as one of the most tourist-friendly destinations globally. With streamlined airport experiences, high-speed public transit, visa-on-arrival for over 80 nationalities, and now, digital discount programmes, the UAE is creating an ecosystem that values accessibility, affordability, and convenience for its international visitors.

For tourists, the message is clear: don’t throw away your boarding pass, and be sure to scan everything you receive at the airport. From that moment, the UAE starts paying you back for visiting.

Tip: Before arriving, check the official websites of Visit Dubai, Etihad, or Emirates, as offers and promotions may be seasonal or time-limited.

Qatar Airways has made aviation history with a landmark $96 billion agreement to acquire up to 210 Boeing widebody jets-the largest aircraft order ever for both the airline and Boeing. Announced during President Trump’s visit to Doha alongside His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, the deal cements Qatar Airways’ position as a global aviation powerhouse.

The historic order includes 130 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, setting a new record as the largest Dreamliner purchase in Boeing’s history, and 30 Boeing 777-9 aircraft, with options for 50 more 787 and 777X jets. This strategic fleet expansion underscores Qatar Airways’ commitment to operating the cleanest, youngest, and most efficient fleet in the skies, meeting surging global travel demand while enhancing passenger comfort and sustainability.

In tandem, Qatar Airways signed a sweeping agreement with GE Aerospace for more than 400 engines-including 60 GE9X and 260 GEnx engines, plus options and spares-to power its next-generation Boeing 777-9 and 787 fleets. This marks the largest widebody engine order in GE Aerospace history, further reinforcing the airline’s focus on efficiency and reliability.

Qatar Airways Group CEO Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer hailed the agreements as “a critical next step” in the airline’s growth journey, stating, “We’re not simply chasing scale; we’re building strength that will allow us to continue to deliver our unmatched products and customer experiences.” Boeing Commercial Airplanes President Stephanie Pope echoed this sentiment, calling the order “record-breaking” and expressing pride in the ongoing partnership with Qatar Airways.

With more than 150 Boeing jets already in operation, this mega-order will make Qatar Airways the largest Dreamliner operator in the Middle East and solidify its status as a leader in global aviation innovation and service. The airline, which has been named World’s Best Airline by Skytrax a record eight times, continues to invest in its future, ensuring passengers experience the ultimate in comfort, efficiency, and connectivity.

As Qatar Airways charts a course for the future, these historic deals with Boeing and GE Aerospace promise to keep the airline soaring above the competition-connecting the world, one record-breaking flight at a time.

On May 12, Qatar Airways flight QR-289, an Airbus A330-300 registered A7-AEO, encountered a hydraulic fluid leak after landing at Václav Havel Airport Prague, causing the aircraft to stop on runway 12 and remain there for about 30 minutes before being towed off. The green hydraulic fluid spill led to the closure of the runway for approximately one hour while cleanup crews worked, resulting in the cancellation of the return flight QR-290 and widespread disruptions to other incoming flights.

The incident forced several flights to divert: Hainan Airlines flight HU7937 from Beijing rerouted to Berlin before eventually landing in Prague, while SunExpress and Finnair flights from Antalya and Helsinki respectively were diverted to Dresden Airport in Germany, experiencing delays of up to nearly two hours. This cascade of diversions underscored the significant operational impact of the hydraulic leak.

In addition to the Prague event, Qatar Airways faced another technical issue on the same day when flight QR-243 from Doha to Istanbul declared an emergency due to an engine problem during descent, safely landing after holding for 45 minutes. A separate April 28 incident involved a brake system failure on flight QR-528 from Doha to Chennai, which also landed safely after emergency procedures were enacted.

These incidents highlight recent technical challenges faced by Qatar Airways, emphasizing the critical importance of prompt response and safety protocols in aviation operations.

The government has announced a second attempt to close Runway 28/10 at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport starting June 15 for a crucial upgrade of its landing instruments, aiming to avoid the severe disruptions witnessed during April’s failed closure. The shutdown will last approximately 90 days, during which airlines have been advised to proactively plan flight cancellations to prevent the operational chaos that unfolded earlier this year.

In April, the closure intended to upgrade the runway’s Instrument Landing System (ILS) to CAT III B standards-which would improve landing capabilities in Delhi’s frequent fog-was aborted after just a few weeks due to overwhelming flight delays and scheduling turmoil. The airport, handling around 1,400 flights daily, struggled to operate efficiently on its remaining three runways, compounded by uncoordinated airline schedules and adverse weather.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu convened a high-level meeting with all stakeholders, including airline representatives, the Airports Authority of India, and Delhi International Airport Ltd, emphasizing the need for meticulous advance planning. Airlines have been instructed to prepare for cancellations and propose measures to minimize passenger inconvenience during the runway’s three-month closure.

The timing of the closure has been strategically chosen to coincide with a relatively lean travel period following the vacation season, aiming to reduce the impact on passengers. This proactive approach reflects lessons learned from the April disruption, where the absence of a regulatory mechanism to enforce flight reductions exacerbated delays and confusion.

Officials remain committed to completing the runway upgrade, which will extend the runway lighting from 650 to 900 meters and enhance landing safety in low-visibility conditions, ultimately improving Delhi’s airport capacity and operational resilience.

Passengers and airlines are urged to stay informed and cooperate fully to ensure a smoother transition during this essential infrastructure enhancement phase.

In a strategic move to tackle soaring operational costs triggered by Pakistan’s ongoing airspace closure, Air India has begun routing select North America-bound flights through Mongolian airspace. This new routing primarily affects flights departing from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, especially those headed to the United States and Canada.

Among the affected services are Air India flights to San Francisco and Vancouver, with some flights now incorporating a technical stop in Kolkata. This stopover helps the airline maintain operational flexibility, comply with India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regulations on crew duty hours, and avoid expensive European layovers.

The closure of Pakistan’s airspace since April 24, 2025, has forced Air India to seek alternative routes for its 71 weekly North American flights, 54 of which originate from Delhi. The airline’s network includes major US cities such as Chicago, New York, Washington, San Francisco, and Newark, as well as Canadian destinations Toronto and Vancouver.

By utilizing Mongolian airspace, particularly for flights operating along the Pacific corridor, Air India aims to reduce the extended flight times and fuel consumption caused by detours around Pakistan. This approach also minimizes exposure to high landing fees and operational costs associated with European stops. The technical halt in Kolkata further supports compliance with crew duty time limitations on ultra-long-haul flights, allowing the airline to extend crew working hours legally without breaching regulations.

Air India’s Managing Director and CEO, Campbell Wilson, confirmed these temporary route adjustments in a recent staff communication, highlighting the company’s ongoing efforts to restore direct operations by exploring viable alternatives within India and beyond.

This rerouting strategy emerges amid heightened geopolitical tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, after which India banned Pakistani airlines from its airspace starting April 30. While cross-border hostilities have paused, airspace restrictions remain, compelling airlines like Air India to adapt swiftly to maintain service levels and operational viability.

Through these innovative routing changes, Air India demonstrates resilience and adaptability, ensuring continued connectivity between India and North America despite complex geopolitical challenges and regulatory constraints.