Diners Club Repeats Top Honors At 1998 Freddie Awards For Best Frequent Traveler Affinity Charge/Credit Card

Business Wire, Feb 2, 1999

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--Feb. 2, 1999--Club Rewards(R) by Diners Club International won coveted honors for the second consecutive year, by being awarded the prestigious 1998 Freddie Award for the "Best Frequent Traveler Affinity Charge/Credit Card" by the readers of InsideFlyer. Results were announced at the Eleventh Annual "Freddie" Awards banquet in New York.

In addition to being named the favorite program of the year, voters also awarded Diners Club a 9.3605 out of a possible 10 in terms of value delivered. More than 82,480 voters, some of the world's most frequent travelers, determined the winners by written or on-line ballots. On average, the voters belong to seven loyalty programs.

"We're thrilled that frequent travelers again rated our Club Rewards program as the best in class," said William H. Friesell, chairman of Diners Club International. "Our employees work hard at delivering excellent service, benefits and value to frequent travelers, and it is most gratifying to see travelers recognize those efforts in the voting." The Freddie Awards -- named after Sir Freddie Laker in honor of his accomplishments in marketing travel during the 1970's -- have evolved into a popular method for frequent travelers to voice their opinions about frequent travel programs. Randy Petersen, editor and publisher of Inside Flyer magazine and creator of the Freddie Awards, calls them the frequent traveler's answer to the Oscar, Emmy and Grammy Awards.

Diners Club, creator of the multi-use charge card industry in 1950, approaches the millennium by celebrating 50 years of growth. Issued in more countries and currencies than any other charge card, Diners Club serves more than 8 million Cardmembers worldwide who last year charged more than $35 billion at the nearly five million establishments which welcome Diners Club. Individuals or corporations interested in acquiring the award-winning DINERS CLUB charge card call (800) 2-DINERS (234-6377) for further information or visit www.dinersclubus.com