Ajwaa vs Miles&Smiles: which loyalty program wins?

We score Ajwaa and Miles&Smiles 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

Ajwaa is best for Premium cardholders making large non-everyday purchases, while Miles&Smiles is best for Frequent flyers.

Skip Ajwaa if Daily spenders on groceries, fuel, telecom, and government bills, and skip Miles&Smiles if Anyone who flies infrequently.

Overall rating

	Ajwaa	Miles&Smiles
Overall rating	3.2 / 5	3.9 / 5
Earning	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Redemption	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Network	3.0 / 5	5.0 / 5
Ease of use	3.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Expiry	4.0 / 5	3.0 / 5

Earning structure

Ajwaa	Cardholders earn 3 points per 1 SAR on Ajwaa Infinite and Signature credit cards (lower rates on Plus and Standard tiers). Earnings drop to 0.5 points per SAR in selected categories: groceries, supermarkets, restaurants, fast food, family clothing, transportation, variety stores, gift shops, and cosmetics. The following earn no points at all: SADAD, government payments, GAZT, charities, utilities, fuel stations, telecom, education, auto dealers, fund transfers, ATM withdrawals, and e-wallet funding. Ajwaa Plus cardholders earn additional quarterly bonus points. Points appear in the account within a few days of the transaction.
Miles&Smiles	Members earn both Status Miles (for tier qualification) and Award Miles (for redemption) on Turkish Airlines and AnadoluJet flights - earning depends on flight distance, fare class, and elite status level. Earning extends to 25+ Star Alliance member carriers. Marriott Bonvoy transfer at 3:1 ratio. Choice Privileges transfer at 5:1 ratio. Status Miles can also be earned from 40 qualifying flights (Classic Plus only). Status upgrade purchases of 5,000-10,000 miles are available. No Saudi bank issues a Miles&Smiles co-branded credit card.

Redemption structure

Ajwaa	Points redeem through the Ajwaa portal (separate from the main Bank Aljazira online banking). Options include cashback to the Ajwaa credit card (10,000 points = 100 SAR, minimum threshold applies), vouchers from partner merchants, flight bookings, hotel bookings, car rental, and transfers to airline frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs. Members can purchase additional points using their Ajwaa credit card if they have insufficient balance for a desired redemption. Travel booking cancellations incur a 150 SAR fee per ticket or hotel booking, plus any supplier charges. Cancelled redemptions return points to the account.
Miles&Smiles	Award Miles redeem for flights on Turkish Airlines, AnadoluJet, all 25+ Star Alliance partners, and selected non-alliance partners. Award booking is straightforward online for Turkish flights and most Star Alliance partners; some partner awards require calling. Sweet spots remain after the 2024 devaluation: Turkish Business Class to Europe/US, domestic US partner flights at favorable rates (some destinations like Hawaii start from 10,000 miles), and premium-cabin Star Alliance partner redemptions. Cabin upgrades available on Turkish flights. Elite Plus members receive two complimentary cabin upgrades annually. Award changes incur fees varying by tier. Fuel surcharges apply on most premium-cabin partner redemptions. Members can supplement with mile purchases.

Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy

	Ajwaa	Miles&Smiles
Number of partners	0	0
Partners	—	—
Number of tiers	0	4
Top tier	—	Elite Plus
First-tier qualification	—	25,000 points
Point expiry	36 months	36 months

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