Tourism & Hospitality | Wednesday 21 October, 2015 3:45 pm |

Global Loyalty Company, the loyalty division of Etihad Airways, and flybuys, one of Australia’s most popular loyalty programs, today launched an innovative partnership which enables flybuys members to turn everyday shopping into international flights with the World’s Leading Airline1.

 

flybuys members will be able to collect flybuys points when booking Etihad Airways flights and enjoy exclusive access to airfare deals to more than 100 destinations worldwide.  

 

In a world first, flybuys members who link their Etihad Guest membership to their flybuys account will also earn Etihad Guest Tier Miles when they spend at Coles and selected partners. Tier Miles count towards elite Etihad Guest status which affords top tier members benefits such as priority check-in and airport lounge access when flying with Etihad Airways and its partner airlines.  

 

To earn Etihad Guest Tier Miles, flybuys members must link their Etihad Guest membership to their flybuys account.  Members will earn one Etihad Guest Tier Mile (up to a maximum of 2,500 Tier Miles per month) for every AUD 1 spent at any Coles Supermarket, Coles Online, Coles Express, and selected stores nationwide and, at the same time, collect flybuys points.  

 

flybuys members can also convert their flybuys points to Etihad Guest miles, giving them access to flight rewards and upgrades. 

 

Darren Peisley, Managing Director of Global Loyalty Company, said: “The launch today of the partnership with flybuys is exciting news for millions of flybuys members. 

 

“Now they will be able to turn their weekly shopping at Coles and other selected stores into travel to exciting destinations worldwide.

 

“Together, we are offering flybuys members the unique ability to earn Tier Miles in the Etihad Guest program and, as a result, to enjoy the exclusive benefits we offer our most valuable frequent flyers.”

 

Mr Peisley added: “As the entity responsible for the commercial growth of the airline frequent flyer programs in which it has a strategic interest – Etihad Guest (Etihad Airways, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles and Etihad Regional), JetPrivilege (Jet Airways), MilleMiglia (Alitalia) and topbonus (airberlin) – Global Loyalty Company is delighted to be celebrating this important milestone.

"The partnership with flybuys begins an exciting new chapter for the organisation. It is a new style of partnership program offering members a suite of innovative benefits and rewards and the first of several such partnerships which Global Loyalty is developing in other key markets across the world.”

 

Adam Story, Coles General Manager flybuys said: “flybuys is thrilled to be partnering with Etihad Airways. 

 

“We are proud to be offering our members the opportunity to collect flybuys points quicker and redeem them on exciting rewards like international travel. 

 

“flybuys members will also benefit with access to exclusive discounts on Etihad Airways and members will be able to accelerate their status within the Etihad Guest frequent flyer program by shopping at Coles Supermarkets, Coles Online, Coles Express, and selected stores nationwide.”

 

To celebrate the partnership launch:

Etihad Airways will offer flybuys members up to 25 per cent off all Etihad Airways Economy and Business Class fares (excluding Breaking Deals) to anywhere on the airline’s global network. This applies to bookings made by 3 November for travel until 4 December 2015. At the same time, until 31 December, flybuys members will collect five flybuys points per AUD 1 spent on Etihad Airways flights, by booking through the flybuys ‘My Offers’ page. Etihad Guest members will also be able to earn Etihad Guest reward miles on the same flights.

Linked program members will be able to earn three Etihad Guest Tier Miles for every AUD 1 they spend in Coles Supermarkets, Coles Online, Coles Express, and selected stores nationwide (capped at a maximum of 5,000 Tier Miles per month) until December 31, 2015. This will normally be one Etihad Guest Tier Mile for every AUD 1 they spend (capped at a maximum of 2,500 Tier Miles per month). 

Linked program members will have the chance to win one of 25 prizes of round trip Economy Class flights for two to an overseas destination of their choice on the Etihad Airways’ network. 

Other prizes include 10 sets of two tickets to an A-League game at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium or AAMI Stadium during the 2015/16 season.

Throughout the year, flybuys and Etihad Airways will offer flybuys members other benefits including bonus flybuys points for flight purchases, discounts on air travel and stopover packages.

 

Terms and conditions apply. Visit flybuys.com.au/partners/etihad. For competition details, visit flybuys.com.au/collect/get-on-board# 

 

Ends

 

Photo caption: Australian flybuys member Caroline Borg and Etihad Airways ground staff (left to right) Fatima Reda and Nancy Azzi celebrate the new loyalty program partnership at Melbourne Airport.

 

About Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways began operations in 2003, and in 2014 carried 14.8 million passengers. From its Abu Dhabi base, Etihad Airways flies to or has announced plans to serve 113 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. The airline has a fleet of 119 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and more than 200 aircraft on firm order, including 66 Boeing 787s, 25 Boeing 777-X, 62 Airbus A350s and six Airbus A380s. 

 

Etihad Airways holds equity investments in airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Jet Airways, Virgin Australia, and Swiss-based Darwin Airline, trading as Etihad Regional. Etihad Airways, along with airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, Etihad Regional, Jet Airways and NIKI, also participate in Etihad Airways Partners, a new brand that brings together like-minded airlines to offer customers more choice through improved networks and schedules and enhanced frequent flyer benefits.  For more information, please visit: www.etihad.com

Voted World’s Leading Airline at World Travel Awards in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.