Qantas offers free downloads of iPad magazines, newspapers

By Chris C., May 27 2015
Qantas offers free downloads of iPad magazines, newspapers

Stuck for something to read on your next flight or even while you’re waiting in the airport lounge?

Qantas now offers free digital downloads of the latest magazines and newspapers via digital publishing service PressReader following a successful trial in late 2013 and early 2014.

These can be accessed by passengers within 24 hours of their flight's departure time by opening the Qantas smartphone app and tapping 'download newspapers and magazines', which will appear whether you're at home or in the lounge.

That click unlocks 12 hours of free downloads via PressReader, so take the chance to load up your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet with some serious reading material before your flight ahead.

"Many people use flights as a way to catch up with their reading, so this new service opens up a huge library of titles for people to choose from before they take off," said Qantas Group Executive Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs Olivia Wirth.

"We built PressReader into the existing Qantas app to make it easier for customers to manage all parts of the journey through the one application," Wirth added.

PressReader's library packs in over 3,600 titles from 100 countries around the world, including Australia, while the digital editions of whatever you download will remain on your device until you delete them.

Virgin Australia also offers guests free access to PressReader, although free downloads are only available when connected to Wi-Fi in the airline's domestic lounges.

Read: Virgin offers free digital newspapers from around the world

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Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

18 May 2011

Total posts 233

Lowering aircraft weight by reducing the number of magazines and papers carried onboard?

07 Feb 2013

Total posts 19

Brilliant! Great that you can access via QF app at home before travel...

Qantas

22 Oct 2012

Total posts 318

It's a good introduction offer by Qantas & PressReader, but there's no way that after this offer I'd be paying their subscription rate of $50 a month.  I'd ever only use it as a means of collecting some magazines immediately prior to travel.

Qantas offered a similar trial to Zinio about 2 years ago, accessible only in QF lounges, but it didn't continue.  A number of local councils' libraries offer a selected range of magazines (probably 100+) through Zinio, at no cost.

02 Sep 2014

Total posts 4

There's no iPad app, wonder if we have to read magazines on our iPhones?

24 Apr 2012

Total posts 2424

You could always download the Qantas iPhone app on your iPad and also the PressReader iPad-native app, so by clicking the link in the Qantas app you'll get content at iPad size.

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

12 Sep 2014

Total posts 8

Virgin have been doing this in their lounge  for a couple of years, well done Qantas for being so far behind


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