Brussels Airlines and the Lufthansa Group loyalty programme Miles and More are partnering with Beobank and Mastercard to launch “three new co-branded credit cards” that are available now, according to a press release.
All the cards offer a payment solution that is accepted worldwide, as well as loyalty programme benefits and insurance. Every purchase made on any of the cards will accumulate Miles points for the customer, the statement says. The exact terms and conditions associated with each card are different, and each of the three cards is designed to suit “different traveller profiles”, Brussels Airlines says.
Three cards for three different traveller profiles
The most modest of the offers is the Beobank Brussels Airlines Explore Mastercard which is described as “Perfect for travellers seeking new and accessible experiences”. It allows users to accumulate up to 25,000 Miles per year and includes a package of five insurance covers as well as exclusive Mastercard benefits.
One level up is the Beobank Brussels Airlines Horizon Mastercard which is aimed at more frequent travellers seeking more “diverse and unique experiences” the press release says. The Horizon card allows users to acquire up to 50,000 Miles per year, and includes three extra insurance covers, a total of eight overall, as well as exclusive Mastercard benefits.
Finally, the Beobank Brussels Airlines Altitude Mastercardis pitched at “frequent travellers seeking ultimate comfort, exclusivity, and refinement.” With a maximum points acquisition threshold of 100,000 Miles per year, the Altitude includes eleven premium insurance covers as well as exclusive benefits from both Brussels Airlines and Mastercard.
Cashback, Live Nation sales, and fast-lane access
Pointing to the “lounge-access and the advantages of our Miles & More program for airline tickets, upgrades, shopping, or exclusive experiences,” Brussels Airlines’Chief Executive Officer, Dorothea von Boxberg, hailed the opportunities the cards could offer the Belgian flag carrier’s flyers. Similarly, Beobank’s CEO, Guy Schellinck, said the cards are not “just payment tools” but “meet certain expectations and support the customer in their daily transactions.”
Meanwhile Mastercard’s advantage manager for Belgium and Luxembourg, Benjamin Dessy, said the cards would give holders advantages, “such as access to the airport fast lane, cashback from selected merchants, access to our Priceless.com experience platform, exclusive Live Nation pre-sales, and parcel return fee protection. Soon, they will also be able to take advantage of MilesPay, a service that allows them to convert their Miles into euros for everyday purchases.”
A fourth card “deferred debit card” is on its way later in the year, press materials said, while reminding potential customers that “borrowing money also costs money.”
The link between the new co-branded cards and Lufthansa’s loyalty scheme comes in the wake of question marks over frequent flyer loyalty schemes that have seen giants such as Delta lose 100,000 customers. Practices such as points devaluation and a switch to spend-based advantages caused the former US administration to investigate whether such schemes are “transparent and fair.”
