Riyadh Air Sfeer Loyalty Program Still Signs Up New Members Under “Founders Stage”

Riyadh Air continues to accept new “Founding Members” in Sfeer loyalty scheme

Riyadh Air’s Sfeer loyalty program is still enrolling customers under a permanent “Founding Members” designation almost a year after the scheme launched, company communications and public sign-up pages show. The airline aims to position itself as the second major carrier in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—alongside SkyTeam member Saudia—and continues to offer a visible “founding member” badge on new electronic membership cards while leaving most benefits unspecified.

Direct quote

“You do see the ‘founding member’ mark on your electronic membership card, but other than that I can’t identify special benefits,” wrote Sebastian Powell in coverage of the program, adding that “the entire program does need some… ‘work’ to actually function like a traditional loyalty program.”

Context and program details

Riyadh Air launched Sfeer alongside its commercial debut; the carrier began operations and related customer propositions in late 2025. The airline confirmed plans to serve more than 100 destinations within five years, contingent on receiving all ordered aircraft from Boeing and Airbus. Riyadh Air has already taken delivery of its first three Boeing aircraft and has said it cannot initiate ultra-long-haul routes until Airbus A350-1000 deliveries begin, which are scheduled to start in 2027.

The carrier has positioned itself as a dry airline for flights to and from Saudi Arabia—meaning no alcoholic beverages will be served—aligning product choices with national policy and differentiating its in-flight offering from many international competitors. Despite the high-profile market entry, Riyadh Air has not run a public status-match campaign or launched broad promotional fares tied to Sfeer, moves traditionally used by new carriers to stimulate early loyalty enrollments.

• Membership label: permanent “Founding Members” badge visible on electronic cards
• Stated future aim: exclusive benefits and rewards for Founding Members, currently unspecified
• Fleet: first three Boeing aircraft received; A350-1000 deliveries begin 2027
• Network goal: more than 100 destinations within five years

Outlook

Leaving the Founding Members window open and attaching a permanent badge is likely to attract scrutiny from frequent flyers and industry observers accustomed to limited-time founding or inaugural offers. The lack of clearly articulated, immediate benefits for Founding Members raises questions about Sfeer’s near-term commercial strategy and how Riyadh Air intends to compete with an established flag carrier in Saudia.

For now, Riyadh Air appears to be prioritising network build-out—anchored by Boeing and future A350-1000 deliveries—while continuing to sign new Sfeer members. How and when the carrier converts the Founding Members label into tangible, exclusive rewards will be a key test of whether Sfeer functions as a conventional frequent-flyer program or remains primarily a marketing distinction for early registrants.