IHG® One Rewards
IHG Hotels & Resorts
VS
LAK Rewards
Saudi National Bank
IHG® One Rewards vs LAK Rewards: which loyalty program wins?
We score IHG® One Rewards and LAK Rewards 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
IHG® One Rewards is best for Frequent flyers, while LAK Rewards is best for Early adopters.
Skip IHG® One Rewards if Anyone wanting predictable redemption costs or daily-spend earning, and skip LAK Rewards if Users wanting wide partner coverage.
Overall rating
| IHG® One Rewards | LAK Rewards | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.2 / 5 | 2.6 / 5 |
| Earning | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Redemption | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Network | 4.0 / 5 | 2.0 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Expiry | 3.0 / 5 | 2.0 / 5 |
Earning structure
| IHG® One Rewards | Members earn 10 base points per USD spent at most IHG brands. Extended-stay brands (Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites) earn 5 points/USD. Elite tier members receive bonus points: Silver +20%, Gold +40%, Platinum +60%, Diamond +100%. Saudi users do not have access to IHG-branded credit cards - the IHG Premier and Traveler cards from Chase are US-only. Members can also earn points through Hertz car rentals (1,500 bonus + 125-500 points/day), OpenTable dining reservations, and point purchases. | |
|---|---|---|
| LAK Rewards | Members earn LAK points on eligible local and international transactions made with SNB AlAhli credit cards, prepaid cards, and the Global Multi-Currency Credit Card. Earn rates vary by card segment (Titanium, Platinum, World, Infinite) - cardholders need to check their card's terms or the SNB Mobile app to find their specific rate. An additional bonus of up to 50% applies on overseas transactions paid in the local currency of the country visited. The Cashback Credit Card and Alfursan Credit Card are excluded from LAK earning, as they have separate reward structures. |
Redemption structure
| IHG® One Rewards | Points redeem for hotel stays at 6,300+ IHG properties in 100+ countries. Variable point pricing applies (no published award chart since 2018) - redemption costs shift based on cash rates. Members can also use Points + Cash flexibility, transfer to 30+ airline partners (typically poor 5:1 or 10:1 ratios), redeem for gift cards, merchandise, or Hertz car rentals. Platinum and Diamond Elite members get exclusive access to promotional Reward Night discounts. IHG dropped fixed award charts in favor of variable dynamic pricing, making redemption costs less predictable than competitors. | |
|---|---|---|
| LAK Rewards | Points redeem through the SNB Mobile app or LakRewards.com, with a minimum threshold of 1,000 points. Redemption options include cashback to the card, transfer to Alfursan miles, flight and hotel bookings via the LAK travel portal, e-gift cards, and partner merchant purchases. |
Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy
| IHG® One Rewards | LAK Rewards | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of partners | 0 | 0 |
| Partners | — | — |
| Number of tiers | 5 | 0 |
| Top tier | Diamond Elite | — |
| First-tier qualification | 20,000 points | — |
| Point expiry | 12 months inactivity (reset on earn) | 12 months |