AirRewards vs Aura: which loyalty program wins?

We score AirRewards and Aura on the same five factors — earning rate, redemption value, partner network, ease of use, and point expiry — to help you choose the right program for how you actually spend.

Verdict

AirRewards is best for Frequent economy flyers, while Aura is best for Mall shoppers.

Skip AirRewards if Anyone wanting to earn through daily spend, and skip Aura if Budget shoppers outside malls.

Overall rating

	AirRewards	Aura
Overall rating	3.4 / 5	3.4 / 5
Earning	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Redemption	4.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Network	3.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Ease of use	4.0 / 5	5.0 / 5
Expiry	3.0 / 5	2.0 / 5

Earning structure

AirRewards	Members earn up to 10% cashback as AirRewards points on every Air Arabia flight booking (and ancillary services like meals, baggage, and seat selection). The exact earn rate varies by fare type and route. Earning also extends to partner activities: 200 points per 100 AED with Union Insurance, up to 40 points per 100 AED at Kalyan Jewellers, 3 points per 10 AED via Buzzpay mobile recharges (UAE-focused), up to 6 points per USD with Sixt car rentals, up to 10,000 points per Rocketmiles hotel stay, up to 15 points per USD with Kaligo hotel bookings, and 4 points per Euro at Land of Fashion. Family accounts pool points across multiple members.
Aura	Members earn 1 point for every 1 SAR spent at participating Alshaya brands, in-store and online. That's a 2% effective return on most purchases. Star tier members earn an additional 1% on top, and VIP members earn an additional 2% - bringing the top return to 4%. Bonus points are also offered during promotional events. Starbucks, Boots medicinal products, and Alshaya gift cards are excluded from earning.

Redemption structure

AirRewards	Points redeem at the fixed rate of 100 AirRewards points = 1 USD, with no variability based on fare type, date, or route — a uniquely transparent value in airline loyalty. Points can be used for flights (every seat on every flight available, no blackout dates), meals, baggage, and additional services. Cash + Points option allows partial payment when point balance is insufficient. Family account members can pool points to redeem together. AirRewards points can also be transferred to Etihad Guest Miles for redemption within the broader Etihad network. Redemption is processed entirely through www.airarabia.com or the mobile app.
Aura	Points redeem at a fixed rate of 50 points = 1 SAR (0.02 SAR per point) directly at checkout in any participating Alshaya store or online site. There's no minimum threshold - points can be applied to any eligible purchase. Members can also redeem for exclusive experiences, member-only prices, and special offers via the Aura app. Points cannot be transferred, converted to cash, or redeemed at non-Alshaya partners. Refunds on items paid partly with points are returned in points.

Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy

	AirRewards	Aura
Number of partners	0	0
Partners	—	—
Number of tiers	0	3
Top tier	—	VIP
First-tier qualification	—	6,000 points
Point expiry	—	12 months

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