Riyadh Air has launched RX Pay, a new range of airline-branded payment cards designed to connect customers’ everyday spending with its Sfeer loyalty program.
The cards were developed with Mastercard and will be issued by participating Saudi banks.
Cardholders will be able to earn Sfeer Points when making ordinary purchases, rather than accumulating rewards only when booking flights or buying services directly from the airline. Riyadh Air said the cards would initially be introduced in Saudi Arabia before potentially expanding into other markets served by the carrier.
Everyday Spending Linked to Travel Rewards
RX Pay is intended to broaden Riyadh Air’s relationship with customers beyond the airport and aircraft cabin. Purchases made wherever Mastercard is accepted can generate Sfeer Points, which may then be used for flights, travel-related experiences and other eligible transactions.
The airline said customers would also be able to redeem Sfeer Points against purchases made through the card, including transactions outside Riyadh Air’s own platform. This gives the loyalty currency a potential role in everyday payments rather than limiting its value to future travel bookings.
The card program is designed to make Sfeer Points part of customers’ routine spending. By linking purchases made through Mastercard’s network with Riyadh Air’s loyalty ecosystem, RX Pay gives members more opportunities to build rewards between trips.
The rollout also extends Riyadh Air’s digital strategy beyond flight bookings. Through partnerships with Saudi banks, the airline is positioning payments, loyalty and travel services within a broader customer platform.
Saudi Banks to Handle Card Issuance
Riyadh Air said RX Pay would be offered through “leading Saudi banks.” The participating Saudi banks will issue the cards, while Mastercard will provide the underlying payment network and global acceptance infrastructure.
The arrangement separates the airline’s role from the banking functions behind the cards. Under the arrangement, Riyadh Air oversees the customer-facing loyalty proposition, while participating banks will issue the cards.
Features outlined by the airline include multicurrency functionality, split-payment options and installment facilities offered through the issuing banks. Availability could vary between products because each bank may apply its own underwriting rules, fees and repayment conditions.
Adam Boukadida, Chief Financial Officer of Riyadh Air, said: “Riyadh Air is the world's first digitally native airline, and RX Pay is a key part of our vision to create a seamless, integrated the travel experience for our guests. By working directly with Mastercard, and issued by leading Saudi banks, we can give our guests an experience no traditional airline card can match. We didn’t want to put our name on someone else’s card - we wanted to create something truly Riyadh Air, one that rewards our guests in their everyday lives, not just when they fly.”
Mastercard Alliance Extends to Everyday Spending
RX Pay follows a wider partnership announced by Mastercard and Riyadh Air in February 2026. The earlier agreement covered consumer cards, business-to-business payments, airport services and the development of new travel-payment technology.
Mastercard said at the time that the companies planned to introduce both Riyadh Air-branded credit and prepaid cards for Saudi residents. Those products were expected to be integrated into the airline’s mobile application, allowing users to apply for cards, activate them, manage features and monitor rewards through a single digital channel.
The February agreement also extended beyond consumer spending. Riyadh Air was named as the first airline expected to introduce an airline-branded virtual card program for travel-agent and other business transactions. Mastercard and the carrier also announced plans for a joint center of excellence focused on testing payment and travel technologies.
RX Pay now turns part of that broader partnership into a customer-facing proposition. Adam Jones, Executive Vice President and Division President for West Arabia at Mastercard, added: “Riyadh Air is redefining what a modern travel brand can offer its guests, and we are proud to bring the security, global acceptance, and everyday value of the Mastercard network to RX Pay. Together with leading Saudi banks, we are making it easier for travelers in Saudi Arabia and beyond to be rewarded for the way they already live and travel.”
The product also links payments directly with Sfeer, the loyalty program Riyadh Air launched ahead of its commercial operations. Rather than relying solely on flights to build membership activity, the airline can use card spending to create more frequent interactions with customers between journeys.
Riyadh Air’s announcement shows how the carrier is building payment services into its wider digital strategy. Instead of treating loyalty as a program used only after passengers book flights, RX Pay is designed to bring the airline into routine retail spending and give customers more opportunities to collect and use Sfeer Points.
