
Etihad Airways is doing discounts on flights for India Independence Day 2025
Etihad Airways is marking India's Independence Day with a wallet-friendly flash sale – and we're talking up to 30 percent off flights to some of the most exciting cities in the US and Europe.
Where can you go? For starters, Chicago from Dhs3,273, Washington DC from Dhs3,149 and Toronto from Dhs3,599 in Economy.
If you prefer a European getaway, you could be strolling Barcelona's Gothic Quarter from Dhs2,036, sipping Irish drinks in Dublin from Dhs2,149, or wandering Prague's cobbled streets without completely emptying your savings.
Other cities on sale include Brussels, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Munich, Frankfurt, Warsaw, Boston, New York, Sochi and Atlanta – so if you've got a dream destination list, there's a good chance it's on there.
The only catch is that you have got to move quickly. Book by Thursday August 15 for travel between September 2025 and March 2026. And yes, that means winter getaways, autumn escapes and maybe even a cheeky early spring break are all on the table.
etihad.com.
Need some travel inspo?
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Here's where to go
UAE citizens now get visa-on-arrival for India: a game-changer for travellers
That quick trip to India just got even easier
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The National
40 minutes ago
- The National
My Abu Dhabi Salary: 'I earn up to Dh80,000 a month in property sales. You have to hustle hard'
Alexandra Warren moved to working in real estate after a six-year career in aviation as a flight attendant with Etihad Airways. The career switch felt like a natural progression, says the 32-year-old South African, who lives with her husband and four-year-old daughter in Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi. 'A role in aviation as cabin crew or flight attendant has you at the front line dealing with people, so you need strong interpersonal skills,' says Ms Warren, who works as a sales consultant at Crompton Partners Estate Agents in Abu Dhabi. 'Those are easily transferable skills. In real estate, too, we work with different people, so it was a natural transition.' Ms Warren, who is from Cape Town, finished a bachelor's degree in arts with a major in communication and psychology. She's been in the UAE for more than 11 years and has worked in property for just over two-and-a-half years. What was your first job and salary? My first job was right out of university in 2013, when I joined Etihad Airways as a flight attendant at the age of 21. I worked this job for six years. My salary at the time was around Dh11,000 ($2,995) to Dh12,000 a month. It fluctuated, based on our flights and rosters. I was travelling, enjoying and exploring, until Covid-19 happened and I was one among many of the cabin crew who were made redundant. Tell us about your current role. What is your salary now? I joined real estate over two years ago. I started off doing rentals and the average salary would range between Dh12,000 to Dh13,000 a month. It's a commission-based job. During an exceptional month in leasing, I would make around Dh25,000 to Dh30,000. A year ago, I was promoted and transitioned into sales. The salary has increased significantly, especially in the past six months. My July salary was around Dh195,000. It's hard to give an average figure as the income varies every month. I did a deal in February for an off-plan project. Sometimes, the developers take time to pay us. So, some of my commission in July would have been from a deal that was done a few months ago. On average, I earn about Dh70,000 to Dh80,000 a month. But it depends on the deal that you're making. We do not receive a basic salary, so what you put in is what you get out. You need to hustle hard to make money. This industry is all about trust, building relationships and networking. In this industry, referrals are important for your business. Do you manage to save and have considerable savings? I do. When I was doing leasing, it was quite difficult to save because my salary then was significantly smaller. With sales now, we're in a much better position where I'm able to provide or have a cushioning. I'm saving now and looking at investments of my own, which will probably be real estate as well. I have around Dh250,000 worth of savings now. That is a significant number from somebody who was a housewife two years ago. What asset classes do you invest in? We've only been investing in real estate. We own the three-bedroom apartment that we live in, which has appreciated well since we bought it. It was worth Dh2.5 million when we bought it last year and took out a mortgage to pay for it. It's currently worth Dh3.6 million. We also own a land plot in South Africa. Plots there are rare and valuable, so those perform well over a long period of time. We plan to eventually build on it, rent it out or sell it to invest and diversify our portfolio. It's currently rented out as a storage unit. My next investment will also be in Abu Dhabi real estate: a smaller property with a low entry point in one of the up-and-coming areas. Do you have any debt? Nothing except the mortgage, which my husband has been paying off. People say some debt can be healthy, but I haven't reached that stage yet. Growing up, were you taught how to handle your finances? Yes. My parents would tell me to work hard to build a good future for my kids and save every month, while still trying to maintain a healthy balance. That was something my dad always tried to instil in me. My father also has a strong real estate investment portfolio, so he's been able to guide me. What are your major monthly expenses? The mortgage mainly. Personally, my main expenses are on my daughter, pets, a nanny, gas and utilities. I pay municipal tax on our property in South Africa. I also pay service charges for our home here. How do you budget your salary every month? It depends on the money I earn that month. I do not live above my means. I budget by trying to set aside a certain amount for savings every month, just so I have that financial cushion. I just save what I can, at least more than half my income every month. Have you started saving for retirement? I haven't started saving for retirement, but I've started saving. I do not plan to retire anytime soon. My goal right now is to focus on investments in real estate that can provide me with a passive income stream when I retire. A certain amount of interest would come in and I wouldn't have to stress. That's something my parents have done for themselves. I see the way they live and that's something I want for myself. Watch: Why expat salary packages are not what they used to be Do you have an emergency fund? Yes, my savings. I'm working on increasing that number. What do you spend your disposable income on? Activities with my daughter, going out with friends, dinners, personal upkeep and retail therapy. I spend a maximum of Dh2,000 on myself each month. Do you worry about money? Everyone worries about money, especially when you have the responsibility of kids. I wouldn't say that I can't sleep at night. But we all want to be comfortable. We consider my kid's expenses as she grows up. My husband's work covers her school fees. But when she goes to university or college, that's an additional expense. I work hard to provide a comfortable life for my daughter. Having properties that have appreciated gives you a strong sense of reassurance, and knowing that we don't have liabilities in South Africa. What are your financial goals? My goal is to continue closing deals to bring in an income for myself, perform better than the previous month and the prior year. I want to exceed the targets that I set for myself. What is your idea of financial freedom? To not worry about finances, have a safety net and streams of income coming in from all my investments. Financial freedom is to be comfortable enough to eventually retire, not stress about finances and not live month to month. Do you earn passive income? Not yet. The rent that we earn from our plot in South Africa is paid towards the municipal levies every month. Our next investment will generate passive income, so it should be a rental property in the UAE or South Africa.


The National
14 hours ago
- The National
My Abu Dhabi Salary: ‘I earn up to Dh80,000 a month on average in property sales'
Alexandra Warren moved to working in real estate after a six-year career in aviation as a flight attendant with Etihad Airways. The career switch felt like a natural progression, says the 32-year-old South African, who lives with her husband and four-year-old daughter in Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi. 'A role in aviation as cabin crew or flight attendant has you at the front line dealing with people, so you need strong interpersonal skills,' says Ms Warren, who works as a sales consultant at Crompton Partners Estate Agents in Abu Dhabi. 'Those are easily transferable skills. In real estate, too, we work with different people, so it was a natural transition.' Ms Warren, who is from Cape Town, finished a bachelor's degree in arts with a major in communication and psychology. She's been in the UAE for more than 11 years and has worked in property for just over two-and-a-half years. What was your first job and salary? My first job was right out of university in 2013, when I joined Etihad Airways as a flight attendant at the age of 21. I worked this job for six years. My salary at the time was around Dh11,000 ($2,995) to Dh12,000 a month. It fluctuated, based on our flights and rosters. I was travelling, enjoying and exploring, until Covid-19 happened and I was one among many of the cabin crew who were made redundant. Tell us about your current role. What is your salary now? I joined real estate over two years ago. I started off doing rentals and the average salary would range between Dh12,000 to Dh13,000 a month. It's a commission-based job. During an exceptional month in leasing, I would make around Dh25,000 to Dh30,000. A year ago, I was promoted and transitioned into sales. The salary has increased significantly, especially in the past six months. My July salary was around Dh195,000. It's hard to give an average figure as the income varies every month. I did a deal in February for an off-plan project. Sometimes, the developers take time to pay us. So, some of my commission in July would have been from a deal that was done a few months ago. On average, I earn about Dh70,000 to Dh8000 a month. But it depends on the deal that you're making. We do not receive a basic salary, so what you put in is what you get out. You need to hustle hard to make money. This industry is all about trust, building relationships and networking. In this industry, referrals are important for your business. Do you manage to save and have considerable savings? I do. When I was doing leasing, it was quite difficult to save because my salary then was significantly smaller. With sales now, we're in a much better position where I'm able to provide or have a cushioning. I'm saving now and looking at investments of my own, which will probably be real estate as well. I have around Dh250,000 worth of savings now. That is a significant number from somebody who was a housewife two years ago. What asset classes do you invest in? We've only been investing in real estate. We own the three-bedroom apartment that we live in, which has appreciated well since we bought it. It was worth Dh2.5 million when we bought it last year and took out a mortgage to pay for it. It's currently worth Dh3.6 million. We also own a land plot in South Africa. Plots there are rare and valuable, so those perform well over a long period of time. We plan to eventually build on it, rent it out or sell it to invest and diversify our portfolio. It's currently rented out as a storage unit. My next investment will also be in Abu Dhabi real estate: a smaller property with a low entry point in one of the up-and-coming areas. Do you have any debt? Nothing except the mortgage, which my husband has been paying off. People say some debt can be healthy, but I haven't reached that stage yet. Growing up, were you taught how to handle your finances? Yes. My parents would tell me to work hard to build a good future for my kids and save every month, while still trying to maintain a healthy balance. That was something my dad always tried to instil in me. My father also has a strong real estate investment portfolio, so he's been able to guide me. What are your major monthly expenses? The mortgage mainly. Personally, my main expenses are on my daughter, pets, a nanny, gas and utilities. I pay municipal tax on our property in South Africa. I also pay service charges for our home here. How do you budget your salary every month? It depends on the money I earn that month. I do not live above my means. I budget by trying to set aside a certain amount for savings every month, just so I have that financial cushion. I just save what I can, at least more than half my income every month. Have you started saving for retirement? I haven't started saving for retirement, but I've started saving. I do not plan to retire anytime soon. My goal right now is to focus on investments in real estate that can provide me with a passive income stream when I retire. A certain amount of interest would come in and I wouldn't have to stress. That's something my parents have done for themselves. I see the way they live and that's something I want for myself. Watch: Why expat salary packages are not what they used to be Do you have an emergency fund? Yes, my savings. I'm working on increasing that number. What do you spend your disposable income on? Activities with my daughter, going out with friends, dinners, personal upkeep and retail therapy. I spend a maximum of Dh2,000 on myself each month. Do you worry about money? Everyone worries about money, especially when you have the responsibility of kids. I wouldn't say that I can't sleep at night. But we all want to be comfortable. We consider my kid's expenses as she grows up. My husband's work covers her school fees. But when she goes to university or college, that's an additional expense. I work hard to provide a comfortable life for my daughter. Having properties that have appreciated gives you a strong sense of reassurance, and knowing that we don't have liabilities in South Africa. What are your financial goals? My goal is to continue closing deals to bring in an income for myself, perform better than the previous month and the prior year. I want to exceed the targets that I set for myself. What is your idea of financial freedom? To not worry about finances, have a safety net and streams of income coming in from all my investments. Financial freedom is to be comfortable enough to eventually retire, not stress about finances and not live month to month. Do you earn passive income? Not yet. The rent that we earn from our plot in South Africa is paid towards the municipal levies every month. Our next investment will generate passive income, so it should be a rental property in the UAE or South Africa.


Time Out Abu Dhabi
20 hours ago
- Time Out Abu Dhabi
Kuwait launches visa-on-arrival for expats in GCC countries
Fancy a holiday in the region? Well, you're in luck. Kuwait has just changed up its visa rules for all GCC residents, including those living in Abu Dhabi, making it easier to visit one of the region's top destinations. Effective immediately, all foreign nationals living in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman can now obtain a visa-on-arrival at entry points in Kuwait. The decision was published in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm on Sunday August 10 and applies to all residents living in Gulf Cooperation Council states. Kuwait City (Credit: Supplied) The move means that around 25 million foreign nationals living in the region can now enjoy the benefit of a Kuwaiti visa-on-arrival for a 90-day stay. As a result, Kuwait's Ministry of the Interior has now abolished previous visa rules, which only granted visas on arrival to GCC residents from certain categories of profession – such as doctors, engineers, judges and executives. Previously, nationals of countries in most European and North American, some Latin American countries plus the likes of China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore were eligible for the tourist visa-on-arrival. Kuwait offers tourists a wide range of modern attractions and rich cultural heritage, with the likes of Kuwait Towers and the Grand Mosque of Kuwait being must-visit attractions, before heading to the traditional souks. The visa change comes ahead of the rollout of a wider GCC Unified Travel visa, which is set to be introduced on a trial basis later in 2025. While full details of the unified visa have not been finalised, it will loosen travel rules all across the region for all residents and encourage tourism between GCC member states. Work is also gathering pace on a regional railway project, which will allow travellers more options across the region. The railway project is scheduled to be completed by 2030. You might also like… The best beaches in Abu Dhabi for a relaxing day in the sun From quiet family-friendly spots to where you'll find the beach club party atmosphere Everything we know so far about Etihad Rail From map routes to timings and more 19 of Abu Dhabi's most Instagrammable spots Do it for the 'gram