Qantas is introducing a one-stop travel management solution for small and mid-sized businesses, helping them book travel and manage expenses.
The new platform was developed with direct feedback from Qantas Business Rewards members, who said the program would be more valuable if it helped them book and manage company travel.
It includes an integrated booking tool, allowing businesses to book flight, hotel, and car rental reservations. Instead of chasing down reservations on multiple platforms, companies can also manage a trip as a whole, from airfare to accommodation.
Users can also set up business travel policies and automatically apply them to bookings. That means employees can more efficiently book trips while travel managers maintain crucial oversight over bookings.
To give companies even more visibility, Qantas is offering them access to real-time data and analytics so they can identify trends, manage travel costs, and generate exportable expense reports.
Photo: London Heathrow Lounge. Courtesy of Qantas Airways
Businesses can also use the platform to more easily manage their Qantas Business Rewards benefits, including discounts on flights and Qantas points, and access exclusive offers from the program’s partners.
“The investment we’re making in Qantas Business Rewards will provide Australian businesses with a one-stop platform to manage their business travel needs and make the most of their rewards,” said Qantas Loyalty CEO Olivia Wirth.
“One in five Australian small and medium-sized businesses are Qantas Business Rewards members, and this new booking experience adds to the benefits they already enjoy, including flight discounts and earning Qantas Points on travel and everyday business expenses,” she added.
The airline trialed the program in August, and early users were impressed.
Rehan D’Almeida, general manager of FinTech Australia a member of Qantas Business Rewards, said that “having the ability to book and manage all aspects of our travel in one place is a game-changer for [the] small team.”
Photo: Courtesy of Qantas
“Being able to track and manage travel-related expenses and bookings allows us to focus on maximizing the impact of our trips and strengthening relationships across various global fintech ecosystems,” he added.
Businesses will continue to earn Qantas Points on their travel spending, including on flights, fuel, rental cars, international payments, credit cards, and utility bills. D’Almeida said the new platforms make it easier to “utilize the points… to fund future trips.”
He noted that “despite more meetings moving to video conferencing, travel remains crucial for FinTech Australia, perhaps even more so than before the pandemic.”
To mark the launch of the new platform, Qantas is waiving the A$89.50 ($59.00) fee to join Qantas Business Rewards until December 8.
