utu Invites Users to Discover Flying Blue with New Partnership

utu and Air France-KLM partnership gives more choice to travellers to earn rewards as they shop tax-free at over 300 destinations.

SINGAPORE, Aug. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- utu (utu Pte Ltd), https://utu.global/, a Singapore-based travel-tech company, has announced a new partnership with Flying Blue, the frequent flyer programme of leading Franco-Dutch airline group Air France-KLM. The new collaboration takes utu's mission of revitalising the tax-free shopping and travel industry to a new level, with even more rewarding benefits.

"Flying Blue is pleased to partner with utu to provide our members new opportunities to earn Miles when they shop abroad," said Ben Lipsey, SVP Customer Loyalty, Air France KLM Group. "This innovative partnership is a first of its kind for a European airline group, and one which we think our members will love."

The Flying Blue frequent flyer programme under Air France-KLM is one of the most subscribed programmes in Europe, with over 17 million members. Together with its partners Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic, Air France-KLM operates the largest transatlantic joint venture, with more than 340 daily flights in 2019. 

Through the "more for your VAT refunds" model, tourists using the utu Tax-Free Card can get up to 30% more for their tax refunds from tax-free shopping with rewards, including Frequent Flyer Miles, hotel points, retail loyalty points, and more.

Commenting on the new partnership, Sanjay Chinchwade, CMO, utu said, "We are incredibly excited to announce our new partnership with Flying Blue. For us, it is the first time European airlines have joined our growing list of partners. And for European utu travellers, it is even more exciting as they can now select one of the most popular airline frequent flyer programmes, that of Air France and KLM, as their rewards programme when converting their VAT refunds."

The reward expansion continues the most significant upheaval in the history of tax-free shopping. Until today, tax refunds have always been refunded in cash.

From August 1, Flying Blue members can use utu's Tax-Free Card to:

• Receive an "upsize" benefit of US$125 in utu miles for every US$100 tax refund when shopping overseas.
• Earn 4,686 miles (US$125 worth) for every US$100 tax refund to the utu Tax-Free Card.

The utu app: a new world of benefits

In addition, Flying Blue members can also enjoy higher tax refunds by downloading and binding their account to the utu Tax-Free mobile app.

To take part, download the utu Tax-Free mobile app from iOS and Google Play and activate the utu Tax-Free Card and select Flying Blue as their choice of refund method.

Once activated, travellers need only fill their utu Tax-Free Card number when selecting where to send the refund at participating tax refund kiosks in any of the 50 top destinations where VAT or GST are offered, including Singapore, France, Italy, Germany, South Korea, Thailand, and the UAE.

To explore an ever-expanding list of utu Partners and benefits, and make your tax-free shopping experience better, please visit www.utu.global

About utu

utu (utu Pte Ltd), founded in 2015 by industry leaders with over 25 years of travel and trade experience, is transforming tax-free shopping worldwide by empowering travellers with the freedom to obtain a higher VAT refund.

About Flying Blue

Flying Blue is the Air France-KLM Group's frequent flyer programme. Created in 2005, it now has 17 million members worldwide, who have access to a multitude of awards and benefits, and can earn and spend miles with a wide selection of airline, retail and financial partners.

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