Flying Blue
VS
Mukafaat Albilad
Albilad Bank
Flying Blue vs Mukafaat Albilad: which loyalty program wins?
We score Flying Blue and Mukafaat Albilad 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
Flying Blue is best for Frequent flyers, while Mukafaat Albilad is best for Premium Tamkeen Plus cardholders.
Skip Flying Blue if Anyone seeking elite status without flying, and skip Mukafaat Albilad if Anyone with mada Classic/Gold or Tamkeen Platinum.
Overall rating
| Flying Blue | Mukafaat Albilad | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.8 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 |
| Earning | 3.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Redemption | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Network | 5.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Expiry | 4.0 / 5 | 2.0 / 5 |
Earning structure
| Flying Blue | Members earn Flying Blue Miles on flights with Air France, KLM, Transavia, Aircalin, Air Europa, Kenya Airways, TAROM, and the 19+ SkyTeam alliance partners including Saudia, Delta, Korean Air, China Eastern, Garuda, ITA Airways, China Southern, and Aeromexico. Earn rate by status: Explorer 4 Miles/Euro, Silver 6/Euro, Gold 7/Euro, Platinum 8/Euro, Ultimate 9/Euro. XP (Experience Points) for tier qualification are earned only on flights — Silver requires 100 XP, Gold +180 XP, Platinum +300 XP. XP earnings depend on distance and cabin class. Non-alliance partners include Japan Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, GOL, and Etihad. Hotel partner ALL Accor allows seamless earning across both programs. No Saudi bank issues a Flying Blue co-branded credit card. | |
|---|---|---|
| Mukafaat Albilad | Members earn Mukafaat Albilad points on every purchase, with rates varying significantly by card type. Tamkeen Plus Signature and Infinite credit cards earn 5 points per SAR domestic and 6.5 per SAR international - among the highest in Saudi banking. Tamkeen Plus Platinum earns 3.5/4.5 (domestic/international); Tamkeen Plus Classic 2.5/3.5. Albilad Signature/Infinite credit cards earn 3 points/SAR. Albilad Silver/Gold credit cards earn 1 point/SAR. Most mada debit cards earn 0 points on domestic purchases (1 point on international only — except Signature/Infinite mada which earn 3 points internationally). Uniquely among Saudi banks, points are earned on SADAD bill payments, government payment websites, Saudi Electric and National Water websites (not via SADAD), and fuel stations. |
Redemption structure
| Flying Blue | Miles redeem for award flights on Air France, KLM, all SkyTeam partners, and non-alliance partners (Japan Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, GOL, Etihad). Award pricing is moderately dynamic - less than US programs but more than Avios. Monthly Promo Rewards offer 25-50% discounts on selected award routes - a uniquely member-friendly feature. Members can also redeem for cabin upgrades (including World Business Class on long-haul KLM/Air France), seat upgrades, hotel stays (ALL Accor primarily), car rentals, and experiences. La Première (Air France First Class) redemptions are restricted to Platinum and Ultimate members. A 70 Euro change/cancellation fee applies to most awards; waived for Platinum and Ultimate. | |
|---|---|---|
| Mukafaat Albilad | Points redeem through six channels via the Mukafaat Albilad portal at albiladmukafaat.com or via the Albilad app: airline tickets across 550+ carriers, hotel bookings across 175,000+ hotels worldwide, retail shopping vouchers from leading merchants, transfer to airline frequent flyer programs, charity donations to participating organizations, and cashback at any merchant - use points to repay the value of recent purchases made via Albilad card at any POS within 7 days of the original transaction. Limited-time campaigns offer enhanced transfer rates, such as the June 2026 promotion giving 30% bonus Avios on Mukafaat-to-Avios transfers. Vouchers redeemed are typically non-refundable. Points cannot be used to pay credit card fees. |
Partner network · Tiers & status · Point expiry policy
| Flying Blue | Mukafaat Albilad | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of partners | 0 | 0 |
| Partners | — | — |
| Number of tiers | 5 | 0 |
| Top tier | Ultimate | — |
| First-tier qualification | 100 points | — |
| Point expiry | 24 months inactivity (reset on earn) | 12 months |