utu is proud to welcome Qatar Airways Privilege Club, the loyalty programme of the World’s Best Airline, as its latest partner. As part of the biggest upheaval in the history of tax-free shopping, this new partnership will reward travellers with a significant value addition to their international tax-free shopping experience. From January 18, 2022 members of Qatar Airways Privilege Club will be able to benefit from a 25% increase in the value of their tax refunds by converting them into Qmiles, making their tax refunds even more rewarding.

utu provides a simple way to boost tax refunds on purchases made abroad and convert them into Qmiles. Travellers can benefit from higher tax refund values simply by entering their utu Tax Free Card number on their tax-free forms, and choosing Qatar Airways Privilege Club from the utu Tax Free app as their preferred refund method. 

By leveraging the virtual utu Tax Free Card in the utu Tax Free app, Privilege Club members will now be able to boost their VAT refund value by 25%. As a special launch offer until March 31, 2022, Privilege Club members will collect 1,000 bonus Qmiles in addition to 4,167 Qmiles for every tax refund transaction above USD 100.

Qatar Airways Privilege Club is the latest airline loyalty programme to join utu’s new service, which aims to revolutionize tax-free shopping. Travellers purchasing tax-free with the utu card gain a greater choice of rewards, an easier and more convenient reward claiming process, and significantly greater value in terms of Qmiles collected.

Drawing on its deep industry experience, utu believes travellers should be getting more value and a better experience when it comes to tax refunds. Tax-free shopping is available in 50 countries across the globe, including France, Italy, Germany, Singapore, South Korea, and the UAE. utu allows travellers to claim back the Value Added Tax (VAT) or Goods and Services Tax (GST) for purchases in countries they visit. By the time a refund is processed by VAT refund operators, shoppers typically only receive about half of the total value of the VAT refund they are due. utu is transforming tax-free shopping worldwide by empowering travellers with the freedom to obtain a higher VAT refund, something they have been unable to do until now.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, stated: “Our partnership with utu will allow Privilege Club members the best value out of their trips. Starting today, members will not only be able to enjoy tax free shopping at 50 countries and earn Qmiles on their travels, but they can even get more value out of their tax refunds when converted to Qmiles. This collaboration is a testament of our dedication towards introducing new ways to earn Qmiles, offering members more unique opportunities to bring them closer to their next reward.”

Asad Jumabhoy, co-founder and CEO of utu, comments: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Qatar Airways Privilege Club, the loyalty programme of the World’s Best Airline, to open up a new world of better value, choice and opportunities for Privilege Club members. We believe the partnership is another valuable way Qatar Airways Privilege Club is providing exceptional travel experiences leading up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM and beyond.”

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About Qatar Airways Privilege Club

Privilege Club is the loyalty programme by Qatar Airways and features four tiers of membership – Burgundy, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, giving members a range of exclusive privileges and benefits that have been designed and tailored to make travelling even more rewarding.

Members can earn Qmiles when flying with Qatar Airways and with oneworld® airlines, and other airline partners, as well as with a number of financial and lifestyle partners. Qmiles can be redeemed for award flights, cabin upgrades, extra baggage, hotel stays, car rentals and much more.

About Qatar Airways

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was recently announced as the ‘Airline of the Year’ at the 2021 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. It was also named ‘World’s Best Business Class’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Onboard Catering’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’. The airline continues to stand alone at the top of the industry having won the main prize for an unprecedented sixth time (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021).

Qatar Airways has also become the first global airline in the world to achieve the prestigious 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating by Skytrax. This follows the success of Hamad International Airport (HIA) as the first airport in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded a Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating. These awards provide assurance to passengers across the world that the airline’s health and safety measures are subject to the highest possible standards of professional, independent scrutiny and assessment. For full details of all the measures that have been implemented on board and at HIA, please visit qatarairways.com/safety.

Hamad International Airport, the airline’s home and hub, was also recently announced as the ‘World’s Best Airport’ in the Skytrax 2021 World Airport Awards. HIA has been steadily rising in the ‘World’s Best Airports’ rankings since the start of its operations in 2014.

Qsuite, a patented Qatar Airways product, features the industry’s first-ever double bed in Business Class, as well as privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room, a first of its kind in the industry.

Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 160 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.

Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 4,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, B777, A350, A319 and select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.

Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways, the official FIFA partner, is the official sponsor of many top-level sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message - Going Places Together.

Qatar Airways Cargo, one of the world’s leading international air cargo carriers, serves more than 60 freighter destinations worldwide via its world-class Doha hub and also delivers freight in the belly-hold deck of passenger aircraft to an extensive network. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet includes two Boeing 747-8 freighters, 26 Boeing 777 freighters and six B777-300ER mini freighters.

Qatar Executive is the private jet charter division of Qatar Airways Group. Luxury jet services are available for worldwide charter on board the operator’s wholly-owned business jet fleet. Qatar Executive is the launch customer for Gulfstream’s G700, the world’s first commercial service operator of the Gulfstream G500 and largest commercial operator of the G650ER worldwide. Qatar Executive’s service portfolio also includes aircraft management, maintenance and Fixed Based Operator services.

For further information, please contact:
Qatar Airways Group, Corporate Communications Department
Tel: +974 4022 2200

About utu

utu is on a mission to transform the global travel experience for travellers by introducing them to a world of rewards and higher VAT and GST refunds when shopping abroad, so they can get the best value out of their trips. Far more than just digitising the process, utu re-engineers the broken tax refund industry, putting the customer first. By bridging the worlds of refunds and rewards, utu unlocks new value in the form of rewards from retailers, airlines, hotels and many more. No one else is able to provide travellers with more value. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Singapore, utu has offices in France, Italy, Thailand, South Korea and India. 

For more information, visit utu.global.
Media Contacts
Qatar Airways Media
qrmedia@qatarairways.com.qa
Mauro Battellini, PR Director, for utu
mab@blackunicornpr.com 

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