IHG® One Rewards
IHG Hotels & Resorts
VS
Mukafaat Albilad
Albilad Bank
IHG® One Rewards vs Mukafaat Albilad: which loyalty program wins?
We score IHG® One Rewards 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
IHG® One Rewards is best for Frequent flyers, while Mukafaat Albilad is best for Premium Tamkeen Plus cardholders.
Skip IHG® One Rewards if Anyone wanting predictable redemption costs or daily-spend earning, and skip Mukafaat Albilad if Anyone with mada Classic/Gold or Tamkeen Platinum.
Overall rating
| IHG® One Rewards | Mukafaat Albilad | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 3.2 / 5 | 3.6 / 5 |
| Earning | 3.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Redemption | 3.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Network | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Ease of use | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Expiry | 3.0 / 5 | 2.0 / 5 |
Earning structure
| 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. | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| 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. | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| IHG® One Rewards | Mukafaat Albilad | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of partners | 0 | 0 |
| Partners | — | — |
| Number of tiers | 5 | 0 |
| Top tier | Diamond Elite | — |
| First-tier qualification | 20,000 points | — |
| Point expiry | 12 months inactivity (reset on earn) | 12 months |