Etihad enters travel money card market with WalletPlus Visa card
By David Flynn, February 9 2015
IN BRIEF | Etihad Airways is the latest airline to release a prepaid travel money card in the form of the Visa-backed Walletplus.
Like the travel money cards issued by Air New Zealand, Qantas and Virgin Australia, Etihad will integrate Walletplus into the membership cards of its Etihad Guest frequent flyer scheme, with the first cards being sent to UAE-based Etihad Guest members in March.
Walletplus will cover 11 currencies at launch, with the usual ability to load up each 'virtual wallet' at a fixed exchange rate – although those rates are yet to be released – and use the card online or at point of sale, as well as withdraw local currency from an ATM.
Etihad Guest members will earn one Etihad Guest Mile for every US$2 spent in the UAE and one Etihad Guest Mile per US$1 spent overseas when paying with Walletplus.
In addition to the must-have core currency of UAE Dirham travellers can funnel funds into the US Dollar, UK Pound Sterling, Euro, Indian Rupee, Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Singapore Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, Japanese Yen and Thai Baht.
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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.
04 Jul 2013
Total posts 22
Slight typo; Initial rollout will be UAE based members & also only Gold/Elite & Silver.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
Hi PVM – Etihad's press release on this contained no indication as to which tiers would get the cards first, only that "Etihad Guest Tier members in the UAE will begin receiving their new Etihad Guest card with walletplus in early March, with roll-out of cards to Etihad Guest members in other countries taking place in the future."
18 Nov 2014
Total posts 8
Etihad Guest Gold Elite do not have access to the First Class Lounge when it opens. I guess that would be the same for Virgin Plats? Could you please verify?
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