SYDNEY, 4 October 2016: Qantas and Airbnb have come together in a world-first partnership to give Qantas Frequent Flyer members the opportunity to earn Qantas Points when they book their Airbnb accommodation through qantas.com.
Australia’s national carrier and the accommodation leader have partnered to reward Qantas Frequent Flyer’s 11.4 million members with one Qantas Point for every dollar they spend on any of Airbnb’s 2.5 million accommodation listings across 191 countries.
The partnership marks the first time Airbnb has worked with an airline in this way to reward Frequent Flyer members when booking accommodation through Qantas’ website – and is the next step in Qantas’ partnerships with innovative digital and technology businesses.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said it was a natural fit for two global brands with a track record of wanting customers to feel at home when they travel as well as using technology to create great experiences for their customers.
“The way that people around the world plan, book and experience travel is changing rapidly with the digital revolution,” Mr Joyce said.
“We know many of our customers are just as likely to arrange an Airbnb as they are to book a hotel, and we wanted to recognise and reward them for that.
“From creating Business class in the 1970s to introducing mobile technology to transform the check-in process in recent years, Qantas has always looked for ways to reinvent airline travel – just like Airbnb has done for accommodation. We’re really excited about the potential for this partnership.”
Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky said the number one reason people travel on Airbnb is because they want to feel like they truly live in their destination, even if it’s just for a night.
“Our announcement today with Qantas highlights the rapidly growing movement towards the personalised and unique experiences available through the Airbnb community,” Mr Chesky said.
“People around the world are experiencing a different way to travel through Airbnb. We’re focused on connecting people with the hospitality of locals, welcoming travellers into their communities so they can truly belong anywhere. There are just a handful of global brands who understand that travel is now changing for the better. Qantas is one of those brands.”
To celebrate the new partnership, Qantas and Airbnb are offering Qantas Frequent Flyer members the chance to win the ultimate Qantas Airbnb experience for members who book an Airbnb via qantas.com by the end of October 2016.
The prize includes four return Business class tickets on Qantas to San Francisco for the winner and three guests from the winner’s closest Qantas port in Australia; Qantas First Lounge access in Sydney prior to departure; five nights’ Airbnb accommodation in San Francisco using an Airbnb voucher to the value of $5000; $4000 spending money loaded onto a Qantas Cash card; and return transfers from/to San Francisco airport.
To earn Qantas Points, Frequent Flyer members should visit qantas.com/stay choose the Airbnb option then enter their Frequent Flyer details when prompted. The member is then redirected to airbnb.com.au to complete their booking.
Media contacts:
Qantas Media +61 418 210 005, qantasmedia@qantas.com.au
Airbnb Media +61 400 724 832, press-au@airbnb.com
NB: B-roll available on request.
About Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qantas Frequent Flyers can maximise their opportunity to earn Qantas Points when they travel by using their earning credit card[i] to book flights with Qantas or its partner airlines and for their accommodation with Airbnb.
Qantas Frequent Flyers can also earn Qantas Points using Qantas Cash[ii], a prepaid travel card built into their Qantas Frequent Flyer membership card. Members can earn one Qantas Point for every dollar of eligible spend in foreign currency and one Qantas Point for every two dollars of eligible spend in Australian dollars.
There are thousands of ways to earn and use Qantas Points as a Qantas Frequent Flyer. For more information, visit qantaspoints.com.
About Airbnb
Founded in August of 2008 and based in San Francisco, California, Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world — online or from a mobile phone or tablet. Whether an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 191 countries. And with world-class customer service and a growing community of users, Airbnb is the easiest way for people to monetize their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.
[i] Card products referred to are not Qantas products and not offered or issued by Qantas but by the relevant Card partners. The applicable Card Partner is the credit provider and credit licensee under the National Consumer Credit laws.
[ii] Issuer: Heritage Bank Limited (AFSL 240984). Consider PDS. 16+ only. Conditions apply.