Citibank and Emirates Celebrate 10 Years of Alliance

Committed to Continue Offering the Best Value to Their Customers. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) October 27, 2010 - Dubai - Citibank N.A. and Emirates airline marked their 10th anniversary as strategic partners of the Emirates Citibank co-branded credit and debit cards, which reward Skywards customers with Skywards Miles on their card spend.

With the aim to cater to the banking and travel needs of frequent travelers of Emirates airline, Emirates and Citibank pioneered the travel co-brand card in the region in 2000 in light of their brand synergies and complementing business values.

The Emirates-Citibank credit card was the first to cater to the needs of the affluent segment with the Ultima and Ultimate black cards; the first to create the best miles value by introducing miles earning tiers by product type; the first to introduce Citibank's signature Sign & Fly campaign offering instant tickets on Emirates airline to new customers; and the first to launch the Emirates co-branded Visa Debit Card and Emirates Advantage bank account.

Capitalizing on its global strength, Citibank also expanded this successful relationship to Bahrain and Australia in 2005 and 2008 respectively.

"We are proud to have worked so closely with Emirates over the last 10 years to sustain a very stable and dynamic partnership. Even during tough times in 2009, we have provided exceptional value to our customers through various initiatives such as Spend & Fly, upgrade programs, complimentary golfing and access to Citibank World Privileges," said Sanjoy Sen, Citibank's Consumer Bank Head - Middle East.

As a testimony of the value provided to customers in the UAE and abroad, the Emirates-Citibank Co-branded Card has won several prestigious awards such as:

* Best International Charge/Credit Affinity Card (Freddie Awards 2003)
* Credit Card of the Year (UAE Banking Awards 2003)
* Best All Round Card (UAE Digest 2005)
* Most Successful Marketing Campaign - Sign & Fly' (GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Award 2007)
* First Place - Light Weight Category (Visa Gold Medal Challenge 2008)
* Top EMEA Co-brands Program (Citibank EMEA Award 2009)

Citibank has also been awarded top position by Gulf News Service Ranking, 2009. Moreover, for its unparalleled internet banking service, it has consistently won the Global Finance Award in 2007 and 2009 for 'Best Consumer Internet Bank'.

"We continue to invest in technology and service platforms to ensure seamless delivery of service to our mutual customers," said Sanjoy Sen.

"These accolades are clearly reflective of the commitment and strength of both institutions, and further validate the long-term mutual value generated by the joint efforts of one of the world's top airline and the financial institution," said Brian LaBelle, Skywards' Senior Vice President. "The partnership between Emirates and Citibank has proven to be highly rewarding and we are committed to take it to the next level for the benefit of our mutual customer base."

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 45 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.

"At Citibank, we value our strategic alliance with Emirates which is one of the leading brands in the world, and the airline of choice for our UAE and Bahrain based customers," said Faraaz Ali, Citibank's Cluster Cards Head, UAE and Bahrain. "We remain fully committed to this alliance and aim to take it to new heights over the coming few years."

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 airline, retail, telecoms, oil and gas companies as key partners around the world. The Emirates-Citibank Co-branded Credit Card is the pioneering Credit Card in the UAE that rewards customers with Skywards Miles every time the card is used. Miles can be exchanged for free flights, excursions and other travel privileges.

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