International travel

Using an Indian credit card in the UAE

  • AED · UAE dirham
  • Facts checked
See 0% forex cards How DCC works

The UAE's currency is the UAE dirham (AED). When a card machine or ATM offers INR or AED, choose AED: the rupee option is dynamic currency conversion, where the merchant sets the exchange rate and may add a markup. Paying in dirham leaves the conversion to your card, so your card's forex markup decides the cost. Cards with a verified 0% markup are listed below.

Pay in dirham, not rupees

If the screen offers INR or AED, choose AED to decline dynamic currency conversion. Declining does not stop the payment or the withdrawal. Your card then converts the amount itself, and on a 0% forex card it adds no markup.

How dynamic currency conversion works →

Where forex markup applies

Forex markup applies to anything charged in dirham: hotels, malls, restaurants and taxis paid by card, and online bookings billed in AED. A 3.5% markup on ₹1.5 lakh of trip spending is ₹5,250 before any rewards.

Cash

The ATM owner may charge its own fee for a card issued abroad; check it on the screen before you confirm. Withdrawing cash on a credit card is also a cash advance, which carries the card's cash-advance fee and finance charges. Each card page lists them where the issuer publishes them.

18 verified 0% forex cards in current Money Matters data

The same list appears on every destination page and on the 0% forex card list, and it updates with each data release.

Cards with 0% forex markup

18 cards

Verified 0% forex markup, lowest annual fee first. Card facts come from the current Money Matters data release. This list applies to any foreign-currency spending; it is not specific to the UAE.

Show 11 more
Compare close options

See every 0% forex card

Zero forex versus broader travel value

A 0% card saves the markup; a card that charges forex can give some of it back through rewards and lounge access. On ₹3,00,000 of foreign spending a year, a 2% markup costs ₹6,000.

  • Federal Bank Scapia Credit Card Forex cost: ₹0 Rewards abroad: None Main catch: No international rewards
  • ixigo AU Credit Card Forex cost: ₹0 Rewards abroad: Earns points; dependable rupee value unresolved Main catch: Fee eligibility and point value are uncertain
  • HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card Forex cost: ₹6,000 Rewards abroad: Multiple issuer-published redemption routes; value depends on eligible spend and the selected route Main catch: 2% forex and reward value depends on redemption context
  • HDFC Infinia Credit Card Forex cost: ₹6,000 Rewards abroad: Earns points; value depends on the selected redemption route Main catch: 2% forex, a high annual fee and path-dependent reward value

Compare these four in full

Fees and rules change. Check the currency and the amount on the screen before you confirm, and your card's current charges on its card page.

Common questions

FAQ
Should I pay in rupees or dirham in Dubai?
Pay in dirham. The rupee option is dynamic currency conversion, where the merchant sets the rate and may add a markup. Paying in dirham lets your card convert the amount; on a 0% forex card there is no markup on that conversion.
Does a 0% forex card remove every charge in the UAE?
No. It removes your card's markup on spending in dirham. ATM operator fees, your card's cash-advance charges, and any markup you accept through dynamic currency conversion are separate.

Sources

Related pages

On this site