Ajwaa vs Skywards: which loyalty program wins?

We score Ajwaa 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

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

Skip Ajwaa if Daily spenders on groceries, fuel, telecom, and government bills, and skip Skywards if Domestic flyers.

Overall rating

	Ajwaa	Skywards
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	4.0 / 5
Ease of use	3.0 / 5	4.0 / 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.
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

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.
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

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

Open in loyaup