Akthr vs IHG® One Rewards: which loyalty program wins?

We score Akthr and IHG® One 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

Akthr is best for Anyone wanting flexible redemption across airlines, hotels, and investment, while IHG® One Rewards is best for Frequent flyers.

Skip Akthr if Anyone seeking high earn rates without a premium card, and skip IHG® One Rewards if Anyone wanting predictable redemption costs or daily-spend earning.

Overall rating

	Akthr	IHG® One Rewards
Overall rating	3.6 / 5	3.2 / 5
Earning	3.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Redemption	4.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Network	4.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
Ease of use	4.0 / 5	3.0 / 5
Expiry	3.0 / 5	3.0 / 5

Earning structure

Akthr	Cardholders earn Akthr points on every purchase, with rates varying significantly by card tier. Standard credit cards and the Traveler prepaid card earn 1 point per SAR. Intermediate tiers (Platinum, Signature) earn at higher rates. Infinite cards earn 6 points per SAR on domestic purchases and 7 per SAR on international - but Infinite cards are income-restricted and held by a small minority of customers. Members can also earn points through banking products and services beyond card spend. Welcome bonuses up to 10,000 points are offered to new members. Promotional doubling campaigns run periodically at supermarkets and partner merchants. Digital wallet top-ups do not earn points.
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.

Redemption structure

Akthr	Points redeem through multiple channels via the alinma app: cash to AlinmaPay wallet, partner POS discount codes via registered mobile number plus OTP (from as few as 2 points per code), e-vouchers and selected products, transfer to Alfursan miles, transfer to flynas naSmiles miles (24 Akthr points = 1 naSmiles mile), transfer to ALL Accor hotel rewards (22,000 Akthr = 1,000 ALL Reward Points, 5,500+ hotels worldwide), conversion to Alinma Capital investment wallet, charitable donations, hotel and car bookings, and gifting points to other registered Akthr members. Most redemption options have low or no minimum thresholds. The mobile-number-plus-OTP mechanic at partner POS is among the simplest redemption flows in Saudi banking.
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.

Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy

	Akthr	IHG® One Rewards
Number of partners	0	0
Partners	—	—
Number of tiers	0	5
Top tier	—	Diamond Elite
First-tier qualification	—	20,000 points
Point expiry	12 months	12 months inactivity (reset on earn)

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