Etihad Guest
Etihad Airways
VS
ICSAB+
Saudi Alawwal Bank
Etihad Guest vs ICSAB+: which loyalty program wins?
We score Etihad Guest and ICSAB+ 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
Etihad Guest is best for Frequent flyers, while ICSAB+ is best for Households paying SADAD and government bills.
Skip Etihad Guest if Domestic flyers, and skip ICSAB+ if Heavy spenders on groceries, fuel, and restaurants.
Overall rating
| Etihad Guest | ICSAB+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.1 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 |
| Earning | 2.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Redemption | 4.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Network | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 3.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Expiry | 2.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
Earning structure
| Etihad Guest | Members earn Etihad Guest Miles by flying with Etihad Airways or 25+ partner airlines including American Airlines, ANA, Air Canada, Air France-KLM, Korean Air, Virgin Australia, SAS, and others. Earning also extends to 300,000+ hotels through Accor, Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy, car rentals with Avis and Budget, the Etihad Guest shopping portal, and dining partners. Members can also purchase miles (up to 100,000 per year, 150,000 for Platinum) and use the MilesBooster feature for retroactive miles on past flights. For Tier Miles (which qualify members for status), only Etihad flights and Etihad-issued payment cards count — partner flights no longer earn Tier Miles as of June 2024. | |
|---|---|---|
| ICSAB+ | Members earn ICSAB+ points across a wide range of activities: credit card spend (7.5–12.5 points per 100 SAR domestic, 10–15 points international, depending on card type), Mada debit card spend (0.5 points domestic, 1 point international per 100 SAR), digital banking registration and activity (10–40 points), paperless statement enrollment (10–20 points), ITM and e-Desk services (10 points each), AQSAT installment plans (10–30 points), IPO enrollment (20–40 points), and personal/home finance applications (100–200 points). Digital payment behavior boosts earnings: contactless +5%, digital wallet +10%, online purchases +15%, recurring digital payments +20%. |
Redemption structure
| Etihad Guest | Miles redeem for flights and upgrades on Etihad Airways and 25+ partner airlines using a distance-based award chart. Members can also redeem for hotel stays worldwide via Accor, Hyatt, and Marriott Bonvoy, car rentals, and items in the Etihad Guest Reward Shop. Premium-cabin awards (Business and First) on Etihad's own routes deliver the highest typical value. Note: as of November 2025, Value awards are non-cancellable, and higher-tier awards have a 72-hour no-change window. Some partner award redemptions require calling the Etihad Guest call centre. Members can also use the Cash + Miles option for partial payment on flights. | |
|---|---|---|
| ICSAB+ | Points redeem through six channels via SAB Mobile or SAB Online: Instant ICSAB+ Cash (1,000 points = 70 SAR, deposited to account or credit card instantly via app or within 3 working days, 200 SAR minimum), Pay with ICSAB+ for SADAD and government payments directly through SAB, E-vouchers at 150+ merchants (1,000 points = 100 SAR — the highest-value path), Online Travel (flights, hotels, car rentals booked directly through the ICSAB+ portal, 1,000-point minimum), Charitable donations to Ehsan or Joodeskan (500 points = 50 SAR, no upper limit), and Points Exchange transfers to airline, hotel, and telecom partner programs. Travel redemptions cannot be cancelled or refunded once confirmed. Most other redemptions are also non-refundable. Redemption requires accepting program T&Cs on first use |
Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy
| Etihad Guest | ICSAB+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of partners | 0 | 0 |
| Partners | — | — |
| Number of tiers | 5 | 0 |
| Top tier | Emerald | — |
| First-tier qualification | 25,000 points | — |
| Point expiry | 18 months inactivity (reset on earn) | 12 months |