Etihad Guest
Etihad Airways
VS
LAK Rewards
Saudi National Bank
Etihad Guest vs LAK Rewards: which loyalty program wins?
We score Etihad Guest 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
Etihad Guest is best for Frequent flyers, while LAK Rewards is best for Early adopters.
Skip Etihad Guest if Domestic flyers, and skip LAK Rewards if Users wanting wide partner coverage.
Overall rating
| Etihad Guest | LAK Rewards | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.1 / 5 | 2.6 / 5 |
| Earning | 2.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Redemption | 4.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Network | 4.0 / 5 | 2.0 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Expiry | 2.0 / 5 | 2.0 / 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. | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| 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. | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| Etihad Guest | LAK Rewards | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |