Mastercard Introduces The Collection: Lavish Perks for World Legend Cardholders

Mastercard has rolled out something quite special across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa — The Mastercard Collection — a suite of premium dining, entertainment and travel perks designed for holders of its World, World Elite and the all-new World Legend cards. It’s essentially the brand’s latest bid to turn routine transactions into what the company rather poetically calls “moments that make memories.”

From what’s been revealed, the Collection complements banks’ existing rewards schemes by layering on priority access to exclusive experiences. Think of it like getting the velvet rope treatment without needing to be a celebrity. As **Prakriti Singh**, Mastercard’s executive vice president for Core Payments across EEMEA, put it, the idea is to “go beyond benefits” and deliver experiences that stick. Fair enough — who doesn’t want that, right?

What really caught my eye was the attention to detail in the dining segment: special reservations and bespoke menus at places like La Dame de Pic and Maison Devoille in Dubai’s One & Only Za’abeel, plus distinguished eateries from Istanbul’s Zuma to Dubai favourites such as Alici and Roka. It’s a pretty slick spread. On the entertainment side, the company’s tie-up with Live Nation makes sure cardholders can snag pre-sale tickets and VIP packages for around 75 gigs a year in the region—and thousands worldwide. A small touch, maybe, but spot on for people tired of fighting waiting-room queues online.

The travel benefits are just as generous. Globetrotters with these cards get access to over 1,300 airport lounges—plus dining and spa discounts to ease the usual airport faff. One standout perk is a Mastercard-exclusive fast-track lane at Istanbul Airport, which I reckon frequent flyers will be chuffed to bits about. That’s alongside 190 fast-track lanes in more than 30 airports globally.

**Ahmed Abdel-Karim Hussein**, another executive vice president at the company, said it’s all about connecting people with their passions through curated, meaningful benefits. It’s a line we’ve heard before, sure, but this time it seems Mastercard’s backing it with deep partnerships and research that show how consumers increasingly value experiences over things. Apparently, three-quarters of cardholders admit they feel their best when chasing passions like travel or food adventures — and that the top 30 per cent of earners spend more than twice as much doing so.

In honest terms, there’s something rather sensible about this shift. After years of collecting points, cashback offers and whatnot, consumers are craving tangible joy rather than points they forget to redeem. Whether Mastercard can keep these perks truly unique as the World Legend tier lands in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye next year, we’ll have to see.

And speaking from Arageek’s spirit of empowering startups in MENA, I couldn’t help but wonder how smaller regional fintech players might learn from this — it’s proof that people will pay more for experiences, not just transactions. It reminds me of an early-stage founder I once met who said, “If your product doesn’t make someone smile, what’s the point?” Well… I mean, he wasn’t wrong.

World Legend cards are set to debut in Q4 2025 before rolling out more widely. Eligible customers can already browse and book through Mastercard’s Priceless portal.

All in all, The Mastercard Collection feels like a polished step in the right direction — a luxury twist to everyday payments. Definately one to watch for those who see every card swipe as an invitation to a little more delight.

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