Qantas will release the first of its new-look Frequent Flyer cards in the coming months, and we've got a sneak peek at the shiny new plastic.
The cards incorporate the new Qantas Frequent Flyer brand – note how the Q and F are called out to echo the airline's flight code.
(If you're wondering who the high-flying Mr W. H. Fysh is – that's Sir Wilmot Hudson Fysh, born in Launceston in 1895 and one of the founders of Qantas in 1920, after Fysh served in Australia's Royal Flying Corps during World War I.)
There's also a more stylised approach to the iconic flying kangaroo logo, which incorporates a series of expanding curved lines reminiscent of Aboriginal artwork.
Of course, each card includes the smartchip for Qantas' streamlined checkin – even the entry-level Bronze card, which has previously not been blessed with this time-saving technology.
Members of the elite Qantas Chairman's Lounge will get a card with a slightly different design.
Photos: Inside the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge
Flip each piece of plastic over and you'll see how it doubles as a Qantas Cash travel money card.
Activated on an opt-in basis, this prepaid card contains 'virtual wallets' for up to nine currencies – including the Aussie dollar – which can be used for shopping in Australia and overseas, as well as online.
The Qantas Cash card also permits cash withdrawals from ATMs internationally and within Australia, and supports tap-and-go PayPass technology.
The first batch of the new Qantas cards are due to reach frequent flyers in September as part of the Qantas Cash rollout.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 May 2011
Total posts 233
Howcome the back of the Gold card says 'Prepaid Platinum'?
Error in the mock up?
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2563
No, that's MasterCard's own branding: the card belongs to the company's Platinum Prepaid Travel Card family.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
Funny how the Chairman's Lounge (yes I added the ') font has not changed
09 Sep 2012
Total posts 139
Probably not too many current staff would know an apostrophe from apoplexy, or have heard of either.
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 13
I wonder if Qantas / Heritage cleared offering an unsolicited financia product with ASIC? Believe it or not, there are laws in place dating back from the 1980's, which prevent financial institutions from sending an unsolicited financial product to a client, even if it is on an opt - in basis.
Heritage (QLD based) is the bank that issues these MasterCards on Qantas' behalf...
19 Jan 2012
Total posts 427
Opt in?
Myself (Platinum One), partner (Platinum ) and a parent (Bronze) were all sent invitation emails a couple of months ago - none of us "opted in" for this product.
Now myself and partner have emails saying we are getting these in September anyway.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2563
The travel money functionality is opt-in (has to be activated), not the Qantas Frequent Flyer card itself.
19 Jan 2012
Total posts 427
No doubt, David, (although I'm interested to see excactly what the process will be on receipt of the card!) and I'm not questioning the content of your article, and it's all useful news, thanks for the article.
I would observe the following from my personal perspective:
It seems a spurious exercise to email "apply here to be one of the first to receive the new card" announcements when you're intending to send out the things to premium customers anyway in the "launch" phase...yet more BS from QF PR and Comms folk.
I totally understand that QF are seeking to optimise commercial opportunities from its FF database, but it would be nice if folk like Lesley Grant focused on getting the basics of the core business right instead of distractions such as this card. For example....
It would also be nice if a revised PlatinumOne card looked different to the Silver card (as indicated in the above pix) given the current card is virtually indistinguishable from the Platinum card.
It would also be nice if the new booking system maintained core functionality.
It would also be nice if changes to the system (phone up for "marginal" ASAs) were properly announced to FFs instead of being hidden in the small print- this is a bad "oversight" in customer communication.
In terms of the cash card product itself, I don't think any of us can estimate its value to our personal circumstances until they announce the point earn. Without a point earn being defined its all smoke and mirrors and they are engaging in major promotion without revealing key detail.
Per MichaelP's comment, I share a degree of curiosity over how appropriate (or even legal) it is to mail out these cards (activated or not) without a prior opt in, altough I assume that they are not providing credit as such since they would have to be pre-loaded with cash (?) before use. I have had the ANZ try to sell me a life insurance product on a "unless you opt out by this date we're taking your cash for this product" basis.
One assumes that QF will make mega-bucks by people storing their credit on these cards resulting in very substantial net balances across the user-base, which is why they are so determined to distribute them comprehensively.
It will be interesting to learn what happens when some one new signs up to QF as a new FF - wlll they be signing off an opt-in to a QF cash card by default...
Fascinated to see what the detail will be...no doubt, as ever AusBT will be one of the first to report on this!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Apr 2011
Total posts 43
I can't remember exactly what the email said, but if memory serves me correctly, we were asked if we would like to have the new membership/pre-paid Mastercard. If so we were asked to agree and to review/update our address details etc.
I assumed that if you did not want it, you just deleted the email and everything just carries on as normal, ie you keep your current membership card.
As I am not a premium QFF, I have no idea if you get special treatment and are given a card whether you like it or not.
I specifically said yes by agreeing to update my mailing address.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Apr 2011
Total posts 43
Just found the original email sent to us in April.
You were asked to REGISTER NOW to be among the first to receive the card.
So if you said yes, then you gave consent to receive a new membership card with the OPTIONAL built in pre-paid mastercard.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Jul 2013
Total posts 2
A lot of children are QFFF members, do they get this credit card as well?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Apr 2011
Total posts 43
It is NOT a credit card. It is a pre-paid Mastercard.
1. You have to opt-in to use it and
2. You have to transfer YOUR OWN money on to it IF you want to use it as a pre-paid debit card
If you choose NOT TO USE IT, then it just becomes your QFF Card.
I am not sure why people find this so difficult to understand, or have I missed some vitally important fact here.
09 Sep 2012
Total posts 139
Interesting that there's no image of the Qantas Club version of the card.
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