Qantas and Airbnb have teamed up in a groundbreaking partnership that will allow the Australian carrier’s 11.4 million frequent flyer members to obtain points when booking with the accommodation economy giant.
The Airbnb phenomenon is based on individuals renting out private rooms or homes to travellers. It has become one of the great success stories of recent years with listings varying from garrets to castles in close to 200 countries around the world.
The Australian Business Review reports that under the new arrangement, frequent flyer members will earn points with the airline every time they spend a dollar in any of Airbnb’s 2.5 million listings. This is the first time the US-based accommodation company has tied into such a loyalty programme with a flight company.
The Sydney Morning Herald quotes Qantas CEO, Alan Joyce, as stating that it was now just as likely that their customers would arrange to stay in an Airbnb as a hotel. The new deal was a way of both recognising and also rewarding their passengers for that, he stressed. The co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, Brian Chesky, believed the partnership showed the increasing trend towards “personalised and unique experiences” of people truly living in their destinations.
