Bahrain-based ila Bank , a digital mobile-only bank, has launched ila Rewards, a customisable credit card programme supported by Mastercard ’s PwR platform. The customisable rewards programme enables customers to redeem rewards in a seamless and instant way through the ila Bank application.

ila Bank is one of the first banks in Bahrain to utilise Mastercard’s PwR service and the first issuer in MENA to proceed with full in-app integration to offer credit card holders a personalised end-to-end digital experience journey. ila Rewards is designed to suit the unique needs of each of the bank’s customers. Not only will ila credit card holders be rewarded for their credit card spends, but they will also be allowed to choose their reward blueprint according to their preferences and priorities.

Flexible reward options ila Rewards offers customers various compensation options: airline miles, cashback, or ila tokens. Customers can choose the programme they would like to join and are free to switch between them to meet their changing lifestyle needs. When enrolling into the airline miles programme, all purchases are automatically converted into airline miles and credited into the customer’s frequent flyer plan with either Gulf Air’s ‘Falconflyer’ or Turkish Airlines’ ‘Miles & Smiles’ programme.

The cashback solution automatically converts all purchases into up to 1% cashback, which is credited into the customer’s credit card account on a monthly basis. Meanwhile, the ila Tokens programme enables customers to collect ila Tokens and choose how they want to spend them – either as airline miles, cashback, or to pay for transactions made within the last 30 days. Customers are also offered the flexibility of enjoying multiple benefits by specifying how many tokens they would like to redeem as airline miles, cashback or to redeem previous purchases made through their ila credit card.

ila Tokens are valid for three years, and customers can manually redeem them however and whenever they choose to. Commenting on ila Rewards, the Bahrain-based bank’s officials said they are happy to be pioneering this unique rewards programme for their customers in Bahrain. Offering increased flexibility, ila Rewards enables customers to select the type of rewards they like, with no restrictions to shift between various reward plans at any time while maintaining the same credit card.

New credit card customers will be able to choose their reward program upon the approval of their credit cards. Existing users are automatically enrolled into the cashback programme, with the flexibility to switch to their desired program. Also commenting on the launch, Mastercard’s representatives said their commitment to innovation and excellence drives them to deliver seamless digital banking experiences that meet evolving consumer needs.

They are happy to join forces with ila Bank for the launch of 'ila Rewards'. This initiative empowers customers to tailor their rewards, setting a new standard of personalisation for banking in the MENA region. .