Global Archives - Dubai Diaries

Riyadh Air and Mastercard today unveiled a bold strategic alliance that brings together payments, travel and technology to reshape how people and businesses experience global travel. With no legacy programs in place, Riyadh Air is in a unique position to jointly create an extensive financial and payment ecosystem that is unprecedented from day one. The collaboration introduces a powerful suite of innovations spanning consumer payments, premium airport experiences and next-generation B2B travel payments – positioning Saudi Arabia at the forefront of global travel evolution. A New Era of Seamless, Reward-Driven Travel As the new national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and with a strong commitment to be a digital native, the collaboration will see the launch of Riyadh Air-branded Mastercard credit and prepaid cards. Designed to turn everyday spending into extraordinary travel, the cards will allow cardholders to earn flights, upgrades, lifestyle rewards and exclusive experiences, all seamlessly embedded within the Riyadh Air ecosystem. Set to roll out to Saudi residents in late 2026, the digital-first cards will be fully integrated into the Riyadh Air mobile app, enabling guests to apply, activate, manage features and track rewards effortlessly in one place. “This partnership reflects Mastercard’s role in creating meaningful solutions, paving the way for smart, secure and seamless payments,” said Dr. Dimitrios Dosis, President, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Mastercard. “Together with Riyadh Air, we are creating an integrated digitally-native ecosystem that delivers value at every touchpoint—for guests, travel agents, airlines and hospitality partners—while reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s role as a global travel hub.” “Our deep collaboration with Mastercard clearly reflects not only our commitment to be a digital native airline but strong confidence in our future trajectory. It allows us to build a travel experience that is seamless, digital and distinctly differentiated,” said Adam Boukadida, Chief Financial Officer, Riyadh Air. “We are fortunate to be in a highly unique situation where we can implement many different solutions at the same time, from integrated payments and rewards to premium airport experiences and innovative virtual payment solutions. This collaboration enables us to deliver exceptional journeys for our guests around the world.” Modernizing the Travel Trade with global-first B2B payments solutions Extending beyond the guest experience, Riyadh Air has also become the first airline globally to introduce an airline-branded virtual card program for travel trade settlements. Through this streamlined payment solution, Riyadh Air will be offering travel intermediaries worldwide improved efficiency, security and reconciliation while unlocking new growth opportunities across the travel value chain. Co-Creating the Future of Travel Innovation To foster a culture of learning, experimentation, and innovation, Mastercard and Riyadh Air will establish a joint center of excellence, a platform to design, test, and scale new solutions, leveraging disruptive technologies and real-world use cases. Focusing on agentic innovation, shared data insights, and upskilling the next generation of talent, the hub will enable Mastercard and Riyadh Air to respond rapidly to market needs. Powering Saudi Arabia’s Rise as a Global Travel Hub As demand for travel to and from Saudi Arabia accelerates – driven by economic diversification, infrastructure investment and tourism growth – this alliance supports the Kingdom’s momentum by modernizing financial flows and enhancing the end-to-end travel experience. According to Mastercard’s Travel Trends Report 2025, Riyadh is experiencing a sharp surge in passenger traffic, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s accelerating emergence as a global travel and business hub. Strategic investments are fueling job creation and business mobility, while world-class tourism and leisure infrastructure is reshaping the Kingdom’s appeal for international travelers.

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