Kenya Airways and Absa Bank Kenya have introduced the Asante Global Credit Card, a co branded product built with Visa that converts routine spending into flight rewards, lounge visits and priority travel status.
The card links directly to Asante Rewards, the airline’s loyalty programme, and lets holders earn points on daily purchases as well as double points on Kenya Airways bookings. The companies pitched it as the most anticipated travel card to reach the African market, though that claim reflects marketing language rather than an independently verified ranking.
“From the reveal to the conversations exploring how we can turn everyday life into extraordinary journeys, tonight is about introducing a truly game changing way to experience travel, lifestyle and rewards,” KQ says.
What Cardholders Get
The Asante Global Credit Card comes in two tiers, Signature and Platinum, and both draw from the same rewards structure while differing in credit limits and service thresholds set by Absa.
Every purchase earns points, and spending on Kenya Airways flights earns twice the usual rate. Cardholders also move faster toward Asante Rewards Elite status, the tier system the airline built to reward its most frequent flyers.
Beyond points, the card unlocks a set of travel privileges that typically require years of flying to earn:
| Benefit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Boarding | Priority boarding on Kenya Airways flights |
| Lounge access | Unlimited entry, plus one companion |
| Baggage | Extra checked baggage allowance |
| Seating | Preferred standard seat selection |
| Network | Valid across Kenya Airways and SkyTeam partner airlines |
| Elite progress | Faster movement toward Asante Rewards Elite status |
Who Can Apply
Eligibility is limited to Kenyan citizens and legal residents aged 18 and above. Applicants apply online through the Kenya Airways request form, where Absa handles the underlying credit approval.
A Bigger Push Into Cards
The launch extends a pattern both companies have followed for months. Absa has been promoting cashless spendingthrough its Play Your Cards Right campaign, while Kenya Airways has leaned on partner banks to widen its rewards base since returning to profit and resuming trading on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
For Absa, the card adds to a growing lineup of premium products aimed at customers who travel often and pay digitally. For Kenya Airways, it offers another route to loyalty income at a time when the airline is rebuilding its balance sheet and defending market share against regional rivals.
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Awards Add Weight to the Pitch
The card launch lands after Kenya Airways picked up four titles at the 2026 World Travel Awards, strengthening the case it can make to prospective cardholders about the experience behind the points.
The airline won Africa’s Leading Airline 2026 and Africa’s Leading Airline, Economy Class 2026 at the World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony in Zanzibar. Its Pride Lounge in Nairobi took Africa’s Leading Airline Lounge 2026, and Msafiri, the inflight magazine, was named Africa’s Leading Inflight Magazine 2026. Together the wins span the journey a cardholder buys into: the airline itself, the cabin, the lounge and the storytelling around the trip.
We are proud to be named winners in four categories at the 2026 World Travel Awards:
• Africa’s Leading Airline 2026
• Africa’s Leading Airline – Economy Class 2026
• Africa’s Leading Airline Lounge – Pride Lounge
• Africa’s Leading Inflight Magazine – MsafiriA big thank… pic.twitter.com/fo2siBqEZB
— Official Kenya Airways (@KenyaAirways) August 29, 2026
Acting Chief Executive Officer Capt. George Kamal linked the wins to customer trust rather than the accolades alone. “These awards are an important recognition of the commitment of our people and the confidence placed in Kenya Airways by our customers and industry partners,” he said. “We are deeply grateful to the travellers and travel professionals whose confidence has made this recognition possible.”
The timing helps Kenya Airways and Absa argue that the rewards tied to the new card sit behind a product travellers already rate highly, rather than behind a lounge or cabin experience still building a reputation.
Whether the card lives up to the fanfare will depend on redemption value, a detail neither company has published yet. Frequent flyers weighing the Signature or Platinum option would do well to compare point earning rates against existing bank cards before switching spend over.
