cash at Dubai airport

windy1

hi, does anyone know what curencies are accepted over the counter for food and duty free at dubai airport.thanks

sleepingghost

They accept Dirham at the airport.

I usually just use my card if required when I transit in Dubai or Abu Dhabi about 4 times a year.

There are several cash exchange points if needed. Dubai airport is basically a supersized shopping center with planes parked where you would expect the car park to be.

Stinicker

They will also accept some euro coins for small purchases but best bet is just to pay by Credit Card as withdrawing Dirhams will incur anything upto €5 charge by the Bank of Ireland scum.

I recently spent five weeks in Asia and upon coming back and auditing my accounts I discovered Bank of Ireland charged me over €75 in overseas fee's. They deliberately restricted my card to a €100 a day limit (in the name of fraud prevention) so that I'd have to make multiple ATM withdrawals and then rip me off with their high fee's. I am going to make a case with the Financial Ombudsman about it though.

sleepingghost

Stinicker,

I fully agree with with you on the banks and their crazy ATM fees and limits.

I'm am an AIB customer and they reduced the limits two years ago without telling anyone. As a frequent traveler I popped my card into the ATM machine as usual expecting the cash I need. Three phone calls latter to the other side of the world I was told there was a notice on the website about the change! The could not even have been bothered to write to me.

I use my credit card for the vast majority of all travel expense, but there are occasion when it is not possible / sensible to use a credit card. Hence I need two ATM cards. I am lucky to have access to a UK address so I decided to open up a UK bank account avoiding the limit (and the government levy!)

windy1

thanks for the heads up on that, last thing any of us need is bailing out more bankers

hfallada

I was in Dubai yesterday and they take USD, GBP(probably) & EUR in tills. Pay with visa debit(you get the official exchange rate that you see in the paper with a 1.75% fee) although as they give you a slightly worse exchange rate. My brother brought a bottle of perfume for his gf that was €61 with their exchange rate or €58,50 with visa paying in AED. The shop assistant was able to tell us visas rate as it most have been on her screen.

If you have a few USD or GBP bring them and use them as its handy to use them up. The alcohol and tobacco is so cheap, but the perfumes and aftershave are more expensive than boots and dublin airport even though you are paying vat at 23% in Dublin. Look at http://www.dubaidutyfree.com/content/upload/documents/44-59_DV%20Listings%20JUL13.pdf for prices

windy1

Hi hfallada , thanks for the good news for once , Visa debit looks like the way to go.:)