Miles & More credit card offers Germans more
26 November, 2007
category: Contactless, Financial
Lufthansa is offering an enhanced cashless purchasing card to holders of a German Lufthansa Miles&More credit card. In cooperation with the BayernLB bank and its wholly-owned Deutsche Kreditbank AG (DKB AG) subsidiary, Miles&More and MasterCard are issuing a new generation Lufthansa Miles&More credit card to all existing German card holders in January 2008. Alongside its many other proven benefits, such as mileage accrual for payments made on the card, the new version comes with a few new advantages. “The new Lufthansa Miles&More Credit Card will be the first in Germany enabling customers to benefit from innovative PayPass technology for contactless payment.”
The new Lufthansa Miles & More Credit Card
New card offers numerous extras as well as Germany’s first contactless payment system.
Lufthansa is offering an enhanced mode of transacting cashless purchases to holders of a German Lufthansa Miles&More credit card. In cooperation with the BayernLB bank and its wholly-owned Deutsche Kreditbank AG (DKB AG) subsidiary, Miles&More and MasterCard are issuing a new generation Lufthansa Miles&More Credit Card to all existing German card holders from January 2008. Alongside its many other proven benefits, such as mileage accrual for payments made on the card, the new version comes with a host of further advantages. Miles&More credit card holders can use it at more than 25 million acceptance locations around the globe. “Holders of the Lufthansa Miles&More credit card can look forward to using the new credit-card generation, it features increased individuality and almost every service you could wish for,” said Lufthansa Executive Vice President Marketing and Sales Thierry Antinori.
The array of services available with the new credit card is truly enhanced. New in the business package, for example, is sickness insurance for international travel and a 24-hour assistance service. HON Circle members will profit additionally from an exclusive concierge service, with round-the-clock support for organising travel itineraries or for booking events. Other services range from insurance to cover the cost of cancelling flight or travel bookings and comprehensive car-rental insurance.
The new Lufthansa Miles&More Credit Card will be the first in Germany enabling customers to benefit from innovative PayPass technology for contactless payment. A newcomer in the European market, the system is already commonplace in the USA: It eliminates the need to sign a receipt or enter a PIN for purchases under 25 euros. The card need only be held in front of a reader with the same technology so that payment details can be transmitted and the purchase authorised. It makes cashless payment of a taxi bill, for instance, or of a magazine at a newspaper kiosk so much faster, easier and convenient. Security when using the system is naturally of the highest standard. On purchases of more than 25 euros, card holders will still need to sign and enter their PIN. The first acceptance terminals enabled with PayPass technology in Germany will be available at Frankfurt and Munich Airport in the first quarter of next year.
An integrated EMV chip ensures that the credit card complies with the tightest security requirements. The MasterCard secure code additionally enhances security for online shopping. The secure code is known only to the card holder. Purchases can only be transacted after the rightful card holders have been legitimated by their going through a security question-and-answer routine which they themselves have defined.
Miles&More is the most successful frequent flyer programme in Europe. Launched on 1 January 1993, its member base has meantime risen to more than 14 million. The Miles&More credit card is an important part of the programme. Customers can earn mile credits for each euro they spend with the card and redeem them for attractive flight, travel, merchandise or event awards. They also benefit from a variety of exclusive insurance services on special terms. The success of the Lufthansa Miles&More credit card is manifested particularly by usage statistics: The card is used five times more frequently than other credit cards, making it the most successful credit card in Germany. It is also growing in importance internationally. Up to now, Lufthansa Miles&More credit cards have been issued in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the USA, the UK, Poland, the Netherlands, Japan, India and ten other countries.
