• Al-Othman: We are dedicated to providing an exceptional banking experience that reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering state-of-the-art services to our customers.
  • We work around the clock to meet the evolving needs and aspirations of our clients.
  • We're excited to present our customers with this unique card co-branded with Qatar Airways and British Airways, that aims to elevate their travel and lifestyle experience.

With its commitment to providing exceptional banking experiences through outstanding products and services, National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) has unveiled the NBK Avios Visa Signature Prepaid Card in partnership with Qatar Airways Privilege Club and British Airways Executive Club. This Visa prepaid card, the first of its kind in the MENA region, reflects NBK's commitment to innovation.

With this new co-branded card, NBK has collaborated with two globally renowned airlines, Qatar Airways and British Airways, to provide exclusive rewards and benefits to its customers.

Marking the launch of this new prepaid card, NBK held a signing ceremony at its headquarters with Visa, Qatar Airways and British Airways, which was attended by NBK executive management, Mr. Marwan Koleilat – Senior Vice President, Eastern Regions at Qatar Airways along with his team, Ms. Nicole Crowdey, Global Partnerships Manager at IAG Loyalty along with her British Airways team, Visa’s Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, SVP & Group Country Manager – GCC, and Mr. Michael Berner, Head of Merchant Sales and Acquiring for CEMEA.

The NBK Avios Visa Signature Card empowers customers to collect Avios, the rewards currency for Qatar Airways Privilege Club and British Airways, on their everyday payments. Members can opt for their preferred airline loyalty programme at the time of the application and will earn Avios on every transaction made with the prepaid card. Members can choose to redeem their Avios for rewards of their choice including flights, upgrades and more with their chosen loyalty programme.

Among key benefits of the NBK Avios Visa Signature Card, when the customer chooses Qatar Airways Privilege Club as the preferred airline loyalty programme, include bonus on first usage and renewal of the prepaid card, accelerated opportunity to earn Avios on international spends and flight bookings with Qatar Airways, the opportunity for tier fast-track to Silver or Gold tier and much more.  If a customer chooses British Airways Executive Club as the preferred airline loyalty programme, they will benefit from bonus on first usage and also renewal of the prepaid card, accelerated opportunity to earn Avios on international spends and flight bookings with British Airways and much more.

Applying for the card is easy and convenient with NBK Mobile Banking App, allowing customers to quickly start enjoying seamless online transactions. Once added to the digital wallet, the card is instantly ready for use.

Commenting on this launch, Mr. Mohammed Al-Othman, CEO of Consumer and Digital Banking Group at National Bank of Kuwait, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We're excited to join forces with two of the prominent airline industry leaders to unveil a first of its kind prepaid card in the region, jointly co-branded with Qatar Airways and British Airways and powered by Visa — offering distinct benefits to our valued customers.

“The introduction of this new prepaid card reflects NBK’s dedication to delivering an impeccable banking experience to its customers. By providing an unmatched array of travel rewards and benefits, this card is designed to cater to the diverse needs of customers, especially in the highly popular travel sector,” he added.

Al-Othman emphasised that NBK consistently strives to cultivate strategic partnerships with leading global institutions across all sectors. This approach not only solidifies the bank’s leadership but also enriches the customer’s banking experience.

He highlighted that the bank works around the clock to meet the evolving needs and aspirations of our clients. Additionally, the bank strives to cater to customer preferences, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to offering the best and most advanced products and services.

Senior Vice President, Eastern Regions at Qatar Airways, Mr. Marwan Koleilat, said: “Qatar Airways is globally recognized for its award-winning products and services and with Privilege Club we strive to build the same sentiment among our members from all around the world by providing them with products and services that enhance their lifestyle and travel experiences. As part of our strategy to collaborate with exceptional and innovative partners, we are joining forces with National Bank of Kuwait to offer members the best collecting and spending opportunities. We look forward to seeing our Privilege Club members in Kuwait benefiting from the NBK Avios Signature Card launched in collaboration with NBK, British Airways and Visa.”

Colm Lacy, British Airways’ Chief Commercial Offer, said: “The Avios currency will give Middle Eastern consumers more exclusive travel benefits, bringing them one step closer to their next flight or holiday. We’re pleased to partner with National Bank of Kuwait to bring the new co-branded credit card to market and give consumers more opportunities to convert their daily expenses into exciting rewards.”

"We're excited to partner with National Bank of Kuwait to launch this first-of-its-kind Visa card in the MENA region. The NBK Avios Visa Signature Card is designed to enhance the travel experience of cardholders who will enjoy convenient and secure payments at our more than 130 million merchants worldwide. As a prepaid card, it will help drive financial inclusion so more consumers can enjoy the benefits of digital commerce. We remain committed to collaborating with our local partners to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our cardholders and reward them when shopping and paying with their Visa card," Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, Visa’s SVP and Group Country Manager for GCC.

About NBK:

National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) was established in 1952 as the first national bank and the first joint stock company in Kuwait and the Arab Gulf region. National Bank of Kuwait achieved profits of USD 1.7 billion (KD 509.1 million) in 2022, while the Bank’s total assets reached USD 118.6 billion (KD 36.3 billion) by the end of 2022, and total shareholders’ equity stood at USD 11.2 billion (KD 3.4 billion).

 NBK is the largest conventional financial institution in Kuwait and has actual predominance in the commercial banking sector. NBK maintained the highest credit ratings among all banks in the region, according to the agreement of the well-known global ratings agencies: Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Fitch. NBK is also distinguished in terms of its local and global network, which extends to include branches and subsidiaries in China, Geneva, London, Paris, New York, and Singapore, in addition to its regional presence in Lebanon, Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE.

 

 

About Qatar Airways:

 

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways won the ‘World’s Best Business Class’ for the tenth time at the 2023 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. The airline continues to be synonymous with excellence, also taking home, Best Airline in the Middle East, World's Best Business Class Lounge and World's Best Business Class Lounge Dining at the prestigious awards held during the 2023 Paris Air Show. Qatar Airways is an unprecedented seven-time winner of the “World’s Best Airline” voted by Skytrax (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022).

 

Qatar Airways currently flies to more than 160 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, voted by Skytrax as the ‘World’s Best Airport’ in 2021 and 2022 consecutively. This year, Hamad International Airport has been ranked by Skytrax as the second-best airport in the world, and received the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ accolade for the ninth time in a row, as well as ‘World’s Best Airport Shopping’.

 

 

About British Airways

 

As a global airline and the UK’s flag carrier, British Airways has been flying its customers to where they want to be for more than 100 years. The airline connects Britain with the world and the world with Britain, operating one of the most extensive international scheduled airline route networks together with its joint business, codeshare and franchise partners. British Airways flies to destinations in more than 65 countries. Its primary place of business is London, with its main home at Heathrow Terminal 5. In 2021, the airline won six Business Traveller Awards including Best Short-Haul Carrier, Best Airport Lounge, Best Frequent Flyer Programme, Best Travel App and Best New Seat. In September 2021, British Airways launched its sustainability programme, BA Better World, committing to put sustainability at the heart of everything it does and with a clear roadmap to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. British Airways is a founding member of the airline alliance oneworld, which serves around 1,000 destinations across the globe. The latest information on the measures British Airways is taking to ensure its customers have a safe experience when travelling can be found on ba.com. The British Airways press office can be contacted at press.office@ba.com. To book visit BA.com and connect on Facebook @BritishAirways and Instagram @british_airways