Aura vs Mukafaat Albilad: which loyalty program wins?

We score Aura and Mukafaat Albilad 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

Aura is best for Mall shoppers, while Mukafaat Albilad is best for Premium Tamkeen Plus cardholders.

Skip Aura if Budget shoppers outside malls, and skip Mukafaat Albilad if Anyone with mada Classic/Gold or Tamkeen Platinum.

Overall rating

	Aura	Mukafaat Albilad
Overall rating	3.4 / 5	3.6 / 5
Earning	4.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Redemption	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Network	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Ease of use	5.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Expiry	2.0 / 5	2.0 / 5

Earning structure

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.
Mukafaat Albilad	Members earn Mukafaat Albilad points on every purchase, with rates varying significantly by card type. Tamkeen Plus Signature and Infinite credit cards earn 5 points per SAR domestic and 6.5 per SAR international - among the highest in Saudi banking. Tamkeen Plus Platinum earns 3.5/4.5 (domestic/international); Tamkeen Plus Classic 2.5/3.5. Albilad Signature/Infinite credit cards earn 3 points/SAR. Albilad Silver/Gold credit cards earn 1 point/SAR. Most mada debit cards earn 0 points on domestic purchases (1 point on international only — except Signature/Infinite mada which earn 3 points internationally). Uniquely among Saudi banks, points are earned on SADAD bill payments, government payment websites, Saudi Electric and National Water websites (not via SADAD), and fuel stations.

Redemption structure

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.
Mukafaat Albilad	Points redeem through six channels via the Mukafaat Albilad portal at albiladmukafaat.com or via the Albilad app: airline tickets across 550+ carriers, hotel bookings across 175,000+ hotels worldwide, retail shopping vouchers from leading merchants, transfer to airline frequent flyer programs, charity donations to participating organizations, and cashback at any merchant - use points to repay the value of recent purchases made via Albilad card at any POS within 7 days of the original transaction. Limited-time campaigns offer enhanced transfer rates, such as the June 2026 promotion giving 30% bonus Avios on Mukafaat-to-Avios transfers. Vouchers redeemed are typically non-refundable. Points cannot be used to pay credit card fees.

Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy

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

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