Flying Blue
VS
qitaf
stc
Flying Blue vs qitaf: which loyalty program wins?
We score Flying Blue and qitaf 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
Flying Blue is best for Frequent flyers, while qitaf is best for Heavy stc users on plans that earn points + frequent partner shoppers.
Skip Flying Blue if Anyone seeking elite status without flying, and skip qitaf if Non-STC subscribers.
Overall rating
| Flying Blue | qitaf | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.8 / 5 | 3.5 / 5 |
| Earning | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Redemption | 4.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Network | 5.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 3.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Expiry | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
Earning structure
| Flying Blue | Members earn Flying Blue Miles on flights with Air France, KLM, Transavia, Aircalin, Air Europa, Kenya Airways, TAROM, and the 19+ SkyTeam alliance partners including Saudia, Delta, Korean Air, China Eastern, Garuda, ITA Airways, China Southern, and Aeromexico. Earn rate by status: Explorer 4 Miles/Euro, Silver 6/Euro, Gold 7/Euro, Platinum 8/Euro, Ultimate 9/Euro. XP (Experience Points) for tier qualification are earned only on flights — Silver requires 100 XP, Gold +180 XP, Platinum +300 XP. XP earnings depend on distance and cabin class. Non-alliance partners include Japan Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, GOL, and Etihad. Hotel partner ALL Accor allows seamless earning across both programs. No Saudi bank issues a Flying Blue co-branded credit card. | |
|---|---|---|
| qitaf | Postpaid customers earn 1 Qitaf point per 15 SAR paid against eligible portions of their bill. Tamayouz Platinum customers earn 1.5 points per 15 SAR; Tamayouz Diamond customers earn 2 points per 15 SAR. Specific Mofawtar Prime and Baity packages earn fixed monthly bonuses ranging from 10 to 35 points. Members earn 1 point per 10 SAR at most partner outlets (Yelo, Applebee's, Ocean Basket, AbdulSamad AlQurashi, and others), and varying rates at others. Travel partners include Almosafer (1 point per 20 SAR flights, 1 per 10 SAR hotels) and Flyin. Excluded from earning: VAT, device installments, direct billing services (Apple, Google, Netflix, Spotify, OSN, stc TV), roaming packages, and many add-ons. |
Redemption structure
| Flying Blue | Miles redeem for award flights on Air France, KLM, all SkyTeam partners, and non-alliance partners (Japan Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, GOL, Etihad). Award pricing is moderately dynamic - less than US programs but more than Avios. Monthly Promo Rewards offer 25-50% discounts on selected award routes - a uniquely member-friendly feature. Members can also redeem for cabin upgrades (including World Business Class on long-haul KLM/Air France), seat upgrades, hotel stays (ALL Accor primarily), car rentals, and experiences. La Première (Air France First Class) redemptions are restricted to Platinum and Ultimate members. A 70 Euro change/cancellation fee applies to most awards; waived for Platinum and Ultimate. | |
|---|---|---|
| qitaf | Points redeem at partner outlets at a rate of 5 Qitaf points = 1 SAR by sharing the registered mobile number with the cashier and confirming via OTP. Members can also pay Saudi Electricity bills with points, redeem for stc internal services (minutes, SMS, data, bill discounts), transfer to flynas naSmiles miles at 1 Qitaf = 2 miles, or use points toward flights and hotels via Almosafer and Flyin. Internal stc rewards (minutes, SMS, data) expire 1 month from issuance. Redemption is processed via the Qitaf app, mySTC app, web portal, SMS to 900, or by calling 900. The Qitaf app supports non-stc users. |
Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy
| Flying Blue | qitaf | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of partners | 0 | 0 |
| Partners | — | — |
| Number of tiers | 5 | 0 |
| Top tier | Ultimate | — |
| First-tier qualification | 100 points | — |
| Point expiry | 24 months inactivity (reset on earn) | 12 months |