AirRewards
Air Arabia
VS
ICSAB+
Saudi Alawwal Bank
AirRewards vs ICSAB+: which loyalty program wins?
We score AirRewards and ICSAB+ 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 ICSAB+ is best for Households paying SADAD and government bills.
Skip AirRewards if Anyone wanting to earn through daily spend, and skip ICSAB+ if Heavy spenders on groceries, fuel, and restaurants.
Overall rating
| AirRewards | ICSAB+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.4 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 |
| Earning | 3.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Redemption | 4.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Network | 3.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Expiry | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 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. | |
|---|---|---|
| ICSAB+ | Members earn ICSAB+ points across a wide range of activities: credit card spend (7.5–12.5 points per 100 SAR domestic, 10–15 points international, depending on card type), Mada debit card spend (0.5 points domestic, 1 point international per 100 SAR), digital banking registration and activity (10–40 points), paperless statement enrollment (10–20 points), ITM and e-Desk services (10 points each), AQSAT installment plans (10–30 points), IPO enrollment (20–40 points), and personal/home finance applications (100–200 points). Digital payment behavior boosts earnings: contactless +5%, digital wallet +10%, online purchases +15%, recurring digital payments +20%. |
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. | |
|---|---|---|
| ICSAB+ | Points redeem through six channels via SAB Mobile or SAB Online: Instant ICSAB+ Cash (1,000 points = 70 SAR, deposited to account or credit card instantly via app or within 3 working days, 200 SAR minimum), Pay with ICSAB+ for SADAD and government payments directly through SAB, E-vouchers at 150+ merchants (1,000 points = 100 SAR — the highest-value path), Online Travel (flights, hotels, car rentals booked directly through the ICSAB+ portal, 1,000-point minimum), Charitable donations to Ehsan or Joodeskan (500 points = 50 SAR, no upper limit), and Points Exchange transfers to airline, hotel, and telecom partner programs. Travel redemptions cannot be cancelled or refunded once confirmed. Most other redemptions are also non-refundable. Redemption requires accepting program T&Cs on first use |
Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy
| AirRewards | ICSAB+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of partners | 0 | 0 |
| Partners | — | — |
| Number of tiers | 0 | 0 |
| Top tier | — | — |
| First-tier qualification | — | — |
| Point expiry | — | 12 months |