Qantas and Mastercard have today announced the release of the new Qantas Frequent Flyer membership card.
As reported earlier this year (see here), the card allows users to store foreign currency, access cash worldwide via ATM withdrawals, and earn frequent flyer points on spending in Australia and overseas.
By using Qantas Cash, cardholders can load funds into their cards and choose up to nine different currencies with lock-in exchange rates. They can also earn one Qantas point per A$1 (US$ 0.9) spent in foreign currency, or one Qantas point for every A$2 (US$1.8) spent in Australian dollars.
The card will also offer Frequent Flyer card functions, such as smart check-in that the carrier rolled out in 2011 (see story here) and using the card as a boarding pass.
"The concept of a single card to check-in for your flight, access lounges, store foreign currency and make purchases at home or overseas has really struck a chord,” said Qantas Group chief executive officer Alan Joyce. “When you consider all the different things it does, this really is the Swiss Army knife of cards.”
Eligible members of Qantas’ loyalty program will begin receiving the new cards on August 29, and the airline hopes to distribute all cards by the end of the year.
For more information, visit www.qantas.com.au
Clement Huang