Akthr vs Etihad Guest: which loyalty program wins?

We score Akthr and Etihad Guest 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

Akthr is best for Anyone wanting flexible redemption across airlines, hotels, and investment, while Etihad Guest is best for Frequent flyers.

Skip Akthr if Anyone seeking high earn rates without a premium card, and skip Etihad Guest if Domestic flyers.

Overall rating

	Akthr	Etihad Guest
Overall rating	3.6 / 5	3.1 / 5
Earning	3.0 / 5	2.0 / 5
Redemption	4.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Network	4.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Ease of use	4.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Expiry	3.0 / 5	2.0 / 5

Earning structure

Akthr	Cardholders earn Akthr points on every purchase, with rates varying significantly by card tier. Standard credit cards and the Traveler prepaid card earn 1 point per SAR. Intermediate tiers (Platinum, Signature) earn at higher rates. Infinite cards earn 6 points per SAR on domestic purchases and 7 per SAR on international - but Infinite cards are income-restricted and held by a small minority of customers. Members can also earn points through banking products and services beyond card spend. Welcome bonuses up to 10,000 points are offered to new members. Promotional doubling campaigns run periodically at supermarkets and partner merchants. Digital wallet top-ups do not earn points.
Etihad Guest	Members earn Etihad Guest Miles by flying with Etihad Airways or 25+ partner airlines including American Airlines, ANA, Air Canada, Air France-KLM, Korean Air, Virgin Australia, SAS, and others. Earning also extends to 300,000+ hotels through Accor, Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy, car rentals with Avis and Budget, the Etihad Guest shopping portal, and dining partners. Members can also purchase miles (up to 100,000 per year, 150,000 for Platinum) and use the MilesBooster feature for retroactive miles on past flights. For Tier Miles (which qualify members for status), only Etihad flights and Etihad-issued payment cards count — partner flights no longer earn Tier Miles as of June 2024.

Redemption structure

Akthr	Points redeem through multiple channels via the alinma app: cash to AlinmaPay wallet, partner POS discount codes via registered mobile number plus OTP (from as few as 2 points per code), e-vouchers and selected products, transfer to Alfursan miles, transfer to flynas naSmiles miles (24 Akthr points = 1 naSmiles mile), transfer to ALL Accor hotel rewards (22,000 Akthr = 1,000 ALL Reward Points, 5,500+ hotels worldwide), conversion to Alinma Capital investment wallet, charitable donations, hotel and car bookings, and gifting points to other registered Akthr members. Most redemption options have low or no minimum thresholds. The mobile-number-plus-OTP mechanic at partner POS is among the simplest redemption flows in Saudi banking.
Etihad Guest	Miles redeem for flights and upgrades on Etihad Airways and 25+ partner airlines using a distance-based award chart. Members can also redeem for hotel stays worldwide via Accor, Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy, car rentals, and items in the Etihad Guest Reward Shop. Premium-cabin awards (Business and First) on Etihad's own routes deliver the highest typical value. Note: as of November 2025, Value awards are non-cancellable, and higher-tier awards have a 72-hour no-change window. Some partner award redemptions require calling the Etihad Guest call centre. Members can also use the Cash + Miles option for partial payment on flights.

Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy

	Akthr	Etihad Guest
Number of partners	0	0
Partners	—	—
Number of tiers	0	5
Top tier	—	Emerald
First-tier qualification	—	25,000 points
Point expiry	12 months	18 months inactivity (reset on earn)

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