Asia Miles
Cathay Pacific
VS
LAK Rewards
Saudi National Bank
Asia Miles vs LAK Rewards: which loyalty program wins?
We score Asia Miles 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
Asia Miles is best for Premium-cabin redemption seekers who travel to East, while LAK Rewards is best for Early adopters.
Skip Asia Miles if Anyone wanting to earn through daily spend, and skip LAK Rewards if Users wanting wide partner coverage.
Overall rating
| Asia Miles | LAK Rewards | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.9 / 5 | 2.6 / 5 |
| Earning | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Redemption | 5.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Network | 5.0 / 5 | 2.0 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Expiry | 3.0 / 5 | 2.0 / 5 |
Earning structure
| Asia Miles | Members earn Asia Miles by flying Cathay Pacific (direct from Riyadh to Hong Kong) and on 15+ oneworld alliance partners including Qatar Airways, British Airways, American, JAL, Qantas, Iberia, Finnair, Cathay Pacific, and Royal Jordanian. Earning rate depends on flight distance, cabin class, and fare type (Economy: 25-100% of flown miles; premium cabins up to 200%). Status Points (separate from miles) are earned on Cathay/partner flights for tier qualification. Members can also transfer points to Asia Miles from Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 ratio, 5,000 bonus per 60,000 transfer), Hilton Honors, and Amex Membership Rewards (5:4 ratio, March 2026 update). No Saudi bank issues a Cathay co-branded credit card — the Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard is Hong Kong-only. | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| Asia Miles | Asia Miles redeem according to three fixed award charts: Cathay Pacific-operated flights (distance-based), airline partners (zone/distance-based), and oneworld multi-carrier awards (for round-the-world tickets). Cathay's Economy short-haul Asia routes from 7,000 miles one-way; Business HKG-Sydney for 58,000; Business HKG-LHR for 88,000; First HKG-LHR for 125,000. Most premium-cabin partner awards deliver outsized value. Fuel surcharges apply on most redemptions and are priced by region. Online booking for Cathay and many oneworld partners; some partner awards require calling Asia Miles. Round-the-world award tickets uniquely available. Members can also redeem for cabin upgrades, extra legroom seats, baggage allowance, hotel stays, car rentals, and merchandise. | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| Asia Miles | LAK Rewards | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of partners | 0 | 0 |
| Partners | — | — |
| Number of tiers | 5 | 0 |
| Top tier | Diamond Exec | — |
| First-tier qualification | 300 points | — |
| Point expiry | 18 months inactivity (reset on earn) | 12 months |