Summary:
- Riyadh Air and Mastercard form a strategic alliance to build a fully integrated, digitally native payments and travel ecosystem from launch.
- Innovation spans consumer, premium airport and B2B payments, including co-branded cards, virtual payments and enhanced travel trade settlements.
- A joint centre of excellence will drive agentic innovation, data-led insights and rapid scaling of next-generation travel solutions.
Riyadh Air and Mastercard have unveiled a strategic alliance that brings together payments, travel and technology and which aims to reshape how people and businesses experience global travel. With no legacy programs in place, Riyadh Air is in a position to jointly create an extensive financial and payment ecosystem that is unprecedented from day one. The collaboration introduces a suite of innovations spanning consumer payments, premium airport experiences and next-generation B2B travel payments.
“Our deep collaboration with Mastercard clearly reflects not only our commitment to be a digital native airline but strong confidence in our future trajectory,” said Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer Adam Boukadida. “It allows us to build a travel experience that is seamless, digital and distinctly differentiated. 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.”
The collaboration will see the launch of Riyadh Air-branded Mastercard credit and prepaid cards. These will allow cardholders to earn flights, upgrades, lifestyle rewards and exclusive experiences, all 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 customers to apply, activate, manage features and track rewards in one place.
“This partnership reflects Mastercard’s role in creating meaningful solutions, paving the way for smart, secure and seamless payments,” said Mastercard President, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa Dr. Dimitrios Dosis. “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.”
Extending beyond the customer experience, Riyadh Air is also introducing 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.
To foster a culture of learning, experimentation, and innovation, Mastercard and Riyadh Air will establish a joint centre 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 Riyadh Air and Mastercard to respond rapidly to market needs.
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