Saudia’s AlFursan frequent flyer program has brought back one of its rare promotions on buying miles. While I don’t expect this will have widespread appeal, there is one angle to this that I find particularly interesting, which is the ability to use these miles to unlock Saudia first class awards at a rather reasonable cost.
Saudia offering promotion on buying AlFursan miles
To celebrate Saudi National Day, Saudia is offering a 96% bonus when you buy miles in the carrier’s AlFursan frequent flyer program:
- This offer is valid for mileage purchases between September 15 and September 30, 2026
- The program lets you buy at most 200,000 miles per calendar year, pre-bonus
- You can receive the bonus no matter how many miles you buy, so even buying 1,000 miles would trigger the offer
- The airline is ordinarily charging SAR 112.5 (30 USD) per 1,000 miles purchased pre-bonus, which comes out to a rate of 3.0 cents (in USD) per purchased mile, before the bonus, or 1.53 cents per mile after the 96% bonus
Where I see value in buying Saudia AlFursan miles
I recently flew Saudia business class for the first time in years, and was absolutely blown away by how much the airline has improved and reinvented itself, in terms of both service and food. The thing is, Saudia releases most of the same business class award space to members of partner frequent flyer programs as it does to members of its own program.
So there’s not necessarily much need to buy miles with the program for business class redemptions, given all the other ways there are to redeem for travel on the airline as well. But here’s where it gets interesting — Saudia AlFursan also lets you redeem for Saudia’s first class, available on select Boeing 777s, and that’s space that’s not bookable through most partner frequent flyer programs.
For what it’s worth, below is the Saudia AlFursan award chart, with pricing shown being for one-way travel.
Saudia primarily operates its first class on flights from Saudi Arabia to Europe and the United States. As you can see, a one-way first class award from Saudi Arabia to Europe would cost you 62,500 miles. You could buy enough miles for that for 959 USD.
Meanwhile a first class award from Saudi Arabia to anywhere in the United States except Los Angeles would cost you 105,000 miles. You could buy enough miles for that for 1,619 USD.
Let me warn that Saudia first class award space can be tough to come by (you can easily look it up on Seats.aero), but still, there is sometimes availability, especially close to departure.
I last flew Saudia first class all the way back in 2017, and given how much the airline has improved, I’m tempted to give it another try. Taking advantage of promotions like this seems like the best way to do so.
Bottom line
Through September 30, 2026, Saudia is offering a 96% bonus when you buy AlFursan miles. The program ordinarily charges 3.0 cents (in USD) per purchased mile, so with this offer you’d pay 1.53 cents per mile.
I wouldn’t say there’s widespread appeal here, if you have access to transferable points currencies, since Saudia generally makes its business class award seats available to partner programs as well. As I see it, the most interesting angle here involves being able to redeem for Saudia first class. Given my great recent Saudia business class experience, I’m tempted to give the carrier’s first class another try.
Anyone plan to buy Saudia AlFursan miles with this promotion?
I bought miles and tried booking first class flights but it keeps going to on hold and cancelling after a few days. My bank says the charge is approved. I called them to book by phone but at the very end aftee taking all my info down the agent said there was a system
error. Ive sent messages on the website and used the app to chat but no one can help. Has anyone...
I bought miles and tried booking first class flights but it keeps going to on hold and cancelling after a few days. My bank says the charge is approved. I called them to book by phone but at the very end aftee taking all my info down the agent said there was a system
error. Ive sent messages on the website and used the app to chat but no one can help. Has anyone been able to actually book a flight in first class with miles? I get a booking reference number but cant get this thing ticketed
Any idea how much fees typically are. Want to buy some miles as business class is readily available most of the time. Looking at JED-JFK but can’t see fees unless I have enough miles.
Seats.aero shows you the fees.
For J flights not always worth it given pretty decent cash rates
Is it just me or does the final page add 15% VAT?
Shouldn't be adding VAT for profiles outside of Saudi Arabia.
Strange
Yes. I am going to buy miles, and it is about 3450 USD for 195000 miles due to that tax which is annoying.
@lucky, are Saudia AlFursan Mile purchases coded as airline purchases? That might tip the scale for me to purchase and try their first class between the Middle East and North America or Europe.
I am still having problem signing up! " Please try again" for 3 Days. I decided to go with Riyadh Air (50% Off right now).
Saudia in Business and even in Economy (except for no Alcohol served) is a GREAT choice in many cases and great product. Even flying the Airlines A320 in Business Class with lie flat beds installed, perfect choice for points redemption if the connection is good.
Great value can be had from Virgin miles! ;-)
Please do! It's impressive how much they have improved. Would love to see an F review.
Do they allow mixed-cabin awards (F+J to somewhere in Asia)?
I want to buy into this (even at the biz level) but SV offers competitive cash rates already which makes it difficult to justify buying miles. For example, India-North America O/W J can regularly be had for USD1500 and below. Buying the necessary 99K miles will cost just over 1500 alone and then there are another 300+ in taxes. AND you don't earn miles/status points.
I'd almost definitely take advantage of this – perhaps Saudia now has one of the world's top 10 first class products?
Saudia customer service is horrible. I have a full-flex business ticket that I'm trying to cancel but am being made to run around in circles. Not possible to cancel online. The call center cant do it either. I was asked to contact some email address that doesnt bother replying. This has now been going on for two weeks. With most other airlines, cancelling a flex ticket takes all of 30 seconds.
My point being, if...
Saudia customer service is horrible. I have a full-flex business ticket that I'm trying to cancel but am being made to run around in circles. Not possible to cancel online. The call center cant do it either. I was asked to contact some email address that doesnt bother replying. This has now been going on for two weeks. With most other airlines, cancelling a flex ticket takes all of 30 seconds.
My point being, if this is how hard a simple, straight-forward transaction is, I shudder to imagine how messy anything to do with miles would be.
I had a relatively easy time cancelling. I provided the proof of why I was cancelling. Mentioned that all the rest of the airlines I spoke to have already canceled their legs with the same proof and within 3-4 days, got cancellation confirmation and money back in another week.
Curious... a few weeks back I wrote to you about how it seemed impossible to get an account set up, since I needed a verification code sent to my phone, and all indicators were that AlFursan wasn't set up to send codes internationally.
But I tried again after reading this article, and suddenly it worked. Might take advantage of this promo.