2020 celebrated a milestone for ABK and Emirates Skywards, as they marked 18 years since the launch of their first co-branded travel credit card. Now, as we count down to May 2022, which marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the first of its kind agreement, customers continue to enjoy an expansive array of rewards and benefits.
For a partnership to continue for this long, this means that customers are happily benefiting from this special credit card. The relationship’s continued strength is demonstrated by the recent Miles multiplier campaign, celebrating the launch of the online shopping destination, Skywards Miles @mall.
The online platform unlocks a vast array of incredible deals from the world’s most loved brands in the US and the UK, from online luxury retailers like The Outnet Middle East to adored furniture brands like Pottery Barn, and everything in between. With every purchase made using the ABK-Emirates Visa Infinite and Signature credit cards, even more miles are earned.
During an 18-day period, ABK-Emirates Visa Infinite and Signature credit card holders earned double or triple Skywards Miles when shopping from over 1,500 brands at Skywards Miles @mall. For holders of the Emirates Visa Infinite Card, this meant the opportunity to earn as many as 18 Skywards Miles for every KWD 1 spent.
When the first joint ABK-Emirates credit card launched in August 2002, co-branded credit cards, especially between banks and travel brands, were a relatively new concept in the region. Nevertheless, customers quickly embraced the new offering and more than 21 million miles were awarded to ABK customers within twelve months of the card’s launch. The total number of points awarded has now surpassed 2.5 billion.
Such is the success of the partnership, and both sides’ satisfaction with it, that the contract between ABK and Emirates has now been extended six times. A recent extension to the partnership agreement ensures that it will continue to run until at least October 2023.
There have been many landmarks over the years, including the 10th Anniversary Special edition ‘Diamond’ card that was first issued in 2012. The partnership also launched the first ever Emirates prepaid card.
Co-branded travel cards have become a major bank offering and deliver positives for all the stakeholders involved. For banks and travel brands, they cement customer loyalty and promote repeat business. Card holders know that when they spend, they are accruing points that can be traded for a range of useful rewards and benefits.
The benefits of today’s travel cards extend beyond earning free or discounted flights, or seat upgrades. ABK-Emirates cardholders can trade their accrued points at the Skywards Miles @ mall, for example, where they can be redeemed against a wide range of products from prestigious brands.
This is a particularly important initiative demonstrating a clear understanding of customers’ current realities. At a time when they may not be able to travel as before, members have still been able to realise enormous value from their cards.
There are many other benefits to be enjoyed with co-branded travel cards. In the case of the ABK-Emirates offerings, these range from travel insurance and airport lounge access to purchase protection and extended warranties on items purchased with the cards. Complimentary meet & greet, free luggage delivery and discounts through the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection and Visa Fine Dining program.
What really makes this partnership special to ABK-Emirates credit card users is that there is no ceiling on how many points holders of ABK-Emirates cards can accrue and points can be redeemed for rewards within seven days of being earned. There are numerous promotions that enable holders to earn extra points. No other co-branded card available in Kuwait allows passengers to fly to such an expansive list of destinations.
It is no surprise, therefore, that ABK and Emirates have won a number of awards for their co-branded cards. It also explains why co-branded cards typically account for some of the highest levels of annual customer card spend.
It has been a wonderful journey for ABK and Emirates so far and while both esteemed institutions look forward to a continued partnership for years to come, we’re pretty sure that the ABK-Emirates credit card users are thrilled to see this partnership continue to flourish.
For more information about ABK, please visit eahli.com or contact an ABK customer service agent via ‘Ahlan Ahli’ at 189 9899. For more information about the Skywards Miles @mall, please visit skywardsmilesmall.com.
