qitaf vs Skywards: which loyalty program wins?

We score qitaf and Skywards 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

qitaf is best for Heavy stc users on plans that earn points + frequent partner shoppers, while Skywards is best for Frequent flyers.

Skip qitaf if Non-STC subscribers, and skip Skywards if Domestic flyers.

Overall rating

	qitaf	Skywards
Overall rating	3.5 / 5	3.9 / 5
Earning	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Redemption	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Network	4.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Ease of use	4.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Expiry	4.0 / 5	3.0 / 5

Earning structure

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.
Skywards	Members earn Skywards Miles by flying with Emirates and flydubai (with Tier Miles for status qualification) and through 30+ partner airlines including Air Canada (full partnership December 2025), JetBlue, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, S7, and others (Skywards Miles only - no Tier Miles from partners). Earning also extends to hotel stays with Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and ALL Accor; car rentals; dining partners; and retail. Saudi residents can transfer points from BSF Jana (500-point minimum, up to 200,000 per conversion) and anb rewards via published conversion rates. Tier bonuses: Silver +30%, Gold +75%, Platinum +100%. Members can also purchase miles. The Emirates Skywards Mastercard from Citi is US/Europe market only.

Redemption structure

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.
Skywards	Miles redeem for award flights and upgrades on Emirates and flydubai, plus partner airlines (Air Canada, JetBlue, Korean, Cathay, Qantas, and 25+ more). Classic Rewards have fixed pricing; Flex Rewards have dynamic pricing with broader availability. Cash + Miles option allows partial payment for flights. Upgrade Rewards available on Emirates flights - particularly valuable on premium-cabin redemptions. First Class redemptions are restricted to Silver, Gold, and Platinum members (Blue members cannot book First). Members can also redeem for hotel stays via partners, car rentals, retail, sporting events, and cultural experiences. Fuel surcharges apply on most premium-cabin partner redemptions. Mile purchases available to supplement award costs.

Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy

	qitaf	Skywards
Number of partners	0	0
Partners	—	—
Number of tiers	0	4
Top tier	—	Platinum
First-tier qualification	—	25,000 points
Point expiry	12 months	36 months inactivity (reset on earn)

Open in loyaup