Mastercard Offers Refunds, Rewards To NYC MTA Commuters

Mastercard has announced that cardholders who tap to pay for subway rides on Fridays in June and July will get refunded fares, and have the chance to win Priceless Surprises, the company said in a release.

It’s called the Mastercard Fareback Friday program, and any riders who use their Mastercard’s tapping capabilities for rides between 42nd Street-Grand Central and Atlantic Avenue-Barclay’s Center along lines 4, 5 and 6 will have their fares refunded. The program starts the first Friday in June.

The program is meant to help get subway riders familiar with the process of tapping their Mastercards to pay.

Card users who tap to pay, whether in the subway or at a merchant that accepts that type of payment, will also be eligible for Priceless Surprises rewards, which give access to special sports, entertainment and culinary events in the city.

“Mastercard is thrilled to partner with the MTA to completely transform the experience for commuters in New York City,” said Mastercard Executive Vice President of U.S. Merchants and Acceptance Linda Kirkpatrick. “Mastercard cardholders who tap their cards or phones at subway turnstiles will benefit from shorter wait times and a slick experience. Mastercard will be the first to offer cardholders an incentive to tap and pay for their subway ride.”

To know if a card has tap and pay capability, consumers can check for a Wi-Fi style logo on the front or back of the card. Also, Mastercard users can add their payment info to a phone and tap and pay that way. People can get up to $5.50 back, which is the same as two rides, every Friday.

“Whether it’s your vacation or your daily commute, a good travel experience can make all the difference,” said Al Putre, OMNY Program Executive at the MTA. “We’re excited that companies like Mastercard are helping our customers use this new way of paying.”