Despite a slump in NFT trading volumes this year, corporations continue to innovate around them.
Lufthansa, in partnership with Uptrip, unveiled an extension to its NFT collectible card initiative this Thursday.
From now on, any Lufthansa traveler can acquire a Polygon-based NFT by simply scanning their boarding pass using the Uptrip app. This NFT can then be stored in their preferred cryptocurrency wallet.
But these NFTs are more than just keepsakes, as Lufthansa clarified in a press release. If a frequent traveler amasses enough of these to complete a full NFT set, they can exchange them for perks like “access to airport lounges, flight upgrades, or for accumulating status and reward miles.”
Christopher Siegloch, an executive in Lufthansa’s loyalty program, expressed his delight over the strong interest in the NFT offering. The initiative had a soft launch earlier this year and has already garnered 20,000 registered users and issued over 200,000 NFTs.
“Gamification aspects introduce participants to Web3 technologies like NFTs in an engaging manner. Moreover, we’ve successfully transitioned the zeal for collecting, commonly associated with physical trading cards, into the digital realm,” Siegloch stated.
Uptrip is planning to roll out its own NFT marketplace sometime in the latter half of this year. Discussions are also underway to expand the range of available rewards, although no further details were provided.
NFTs are increasingly finding broader applications in ticketing and loyalty programs.
Starbucks, which operates one of the world’s largest rewards programs, has been expanding its Web3 capabilities since last fall.
Another airline, Argentina’s Flybondi, is already offering NFT-based flight tickets via the Algorand blockchain.