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Riyadh Air and Mastercard have announced a strategic global partnership aimed at transforming the travel experience through integrated payment solutions, digital innovation and enhanced guest services across multiple touchpoints.

Unveiled in Riyadh on 5 February 2026, the alliance spans enterprise systems, brand collaboration, consumer products and guest experience, and is designed to build a next-generation financial ecosystem around the Kingdom’s new national carrier.

Under the agreement, the two companies will jointly develop a portfolio of innovative payment products, including Riyadh Air-branded credit and prepaid Mastercard cards tailored to modern travelers. The partnership will also introduce what the companies describe as a global-first airline-branded virtual card program to support travel agents and other business-to-business transactions.

The collaboration further includes plans to establish a joint center of excellence to design, test and scale new travel and payment solutions using emerging technologies and shared data insights.

Digital-first travel and rewards ecosystem

Riyadh Air said the co-branded Mastercard credit and prepaid cards will be built around a digital-first model and integrated directly into the airline’s mobile app. Cardholders will be able to apply, activate, manage features and track rewards within a single platform.

The cards are designed to convert everyday spending into travel-related benefits, including flights, upgrades, lifestyle rewards and exclusive experiences within the Riyadh Air ecosystem. The initial rollout is expected to target Saudi residents in late 2026.

Dr. Dimitrios Dosis, President for Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa at Mastercard, said the partnership supports the development of secure and seamless payment experiences across the travel sector.

He noted that the collaboration aims to create a digitally native ecosystem delivering value to guests, travel agents, airlines and hospitality partners, while reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a global travel hub.

Adam Boukadida, Chief Financial Officer at Riyadh Air, said the agreement aligns with the airline’s strategy to operate as a digital-native carrier from launch, without legacy system constraints. He added that the partnership enables the airline to deploy integrated payments, rewards, premium airport services and virtual payment tools simultaneously.

New B2B virtual card program for travel trade

Beyond consumer products, the partnership introduces an airline-branded virtual card program for B2B travel payments, aimed at modernising settlement processes with travel intermediaries worldwide.

The virtual card solution is intended to improve transaction security, operational efficiency and reconciliation for agents and partners, while opening new commercial opportunities across the travel value chain.

Joint innovation hub planned

As part of the long-term roadmap, Riyadh Air and Mastercard will co-develop a dedicated center of excellence focused on experimentation and rapid solution development. The hub will support pilot projects, applied innovation and skills development, with an emphasis on agentic technologies and advanced data use.

Both companies said the partnership supports Saudi Arabia’s broader push to expand tourism, diversify the economy and strengthen its role as an international aviation and travel hub through smarter financial and digital infrastructure.

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