Citibank and Emirates launch the 2008 SIGN & FLY Campaign

According to the latest statistics:

- Travel market spend in the UAE is expected to have crossed $7.1bn by end of 2007
- There are 1,760 weekly flights departing from the UAE, of which half originate in Dubai
- 47% of total flights are non-business (various leisure purposes including home leave and holidays)

"Travel Statistics for the UAE are staggering," said Dean Proctor, Citibank's Cards Business Head in the UAE. "We are living in one of the most dynamic frequent flyer market around the globe with the number of outbound flights expected to increase by 12% per annum till 2009. This certainly calls for a solid value proposition to address the travel needs of UAE residents".

Following on the success of the 2006 and 2007 credit cards' acquisition campaigns, Emirates Airlines and Citibank, a member of Citi, recently launched the mega 2008 SIGN & FLY Campaign targeting new credit card applicants wishing to gain free flights aboard Emirates.

As per the 2008 SIGN & FLY Campaign, cardholders will enjoy the following mile rewards which will be loaded automatically to the newly acquired card1:

1. 15,000 miles on a Silver card

2. 25,000 miles on a Gold card

3. 40,000 miles on the Ultima card

The Emirates-Citibank Co-branded Credit Card is the only Credit Card in the UAE that rewards customers with Skywards Miles every time the card is used.

Customers can earn bonus Skywards Miles in addition to the Skywards Miles earned on every one US Dollar spent.

Miles can be exchanged for free flights, excursions and other travel privileges. On average, a typical Emirates-Citibank Credit Cardholder earns enough miles on the card every year in exchange for a free flight, according to Citibank statistics.

"The Emirates-Citibank Co-branded Credit Card has been a very successful offering and reflects Skywards commitment to innovation and service. The SIGN & FLY promotion is another example of how this card offers substantial value for our Skywards members and those new to our programme. Skywards aims to take our members far beyond the immediate travel experience, providing more choice and rewarding loyalty with free travel, upgrades and other rewards," said Brian Labelle, Senior Vice President of Skywards.

According to Visa International statistics, customers find using the Emirates-Citibank card 400% more useful as compared to an average card in the market, and together with Citibank we intend on maintaining this unique edge.

"The track record of this campaign is very promising as determined by the number of cardholders who subscribed to the card in 2006 and 2007 campaigns," said Sanjoy Sen, Country Business Manager for Citibank's Consumer Banking business in UAE. "As demonstrated in the SIGN & FLY promotion, our alliance with Emirates Airlines translates into instant value to our mutual existing customers as well as new customers".

Citi has been in the Middle East for nearly 50 years and currently offers consumer-banking services in the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.

In the UAE alone, Citibank, the consumer banking arm of Citi, has had a presence for the past 42 years and is expanding its major operations within the country.

The bank is currently a major player in the UAE's credit card market and a leading provider of banking, Wealth Management and Consumer credit services.

Citi Cards is part of Citi, the leading global financial services company, and the world's largest credit card issuer with more than 170 million cards in issue in 50 countries worldwide.

Citi is a global leader in partnership credit cards, with leading airlines, retail, telecoms, oil and gas companies as key partners around the world.