Emirates Skywards members can now earn and burn miles on Virgin Blue and has launched an Australian-based frequent flyer credit card to lure Aussies to the airline. The Emirates City Platinum MasterCard earns 1.5 Skywards miles for every Australian dollar spent–that’s 1.5 miles for any purchase, not just for Emirates flights. It also offers complimentary lounge access for the cardholder and a guest in Australia and Dubai and free chauffeur-driven transportation to and from Australian airports (if flying coach, it’s only once per year for the lounge access and chauffer transportation). The cost of the card is 199 AUD. Emirates has close to 500,000 Skywards members in Australia, about one-fifth of its worldwide membership, and carries more than seven percent of the passengers traveling to and from the country, with plans for expansion.