Airlines can now control the payment experience across both direct\nand indirect booking channels.<\/p>\n
This initiative also improves cash flow and customer loyalty for\nairlines by processing UnionPay card transactions directly.<\/p>\n
Shanghai \u2013 According to the latest projection from\nResearchAndMarkets, outbound travel from China is expected to grow at a\nCompound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.5%, rising from the current\nUS$140 billion to US$386 billion by 2033. UnionPay International\nfacilitates cardholders to make cross-border payments across 183\nmarkets, with UnionPay payment methods proving particularly popular\namongst travellers in the Asia-Pacific region. Consequently, the ability\nto accept UnionPay card payments directly has become crucial for\nairlines serving travellers from 85 countries and territories where\nUnionPay cards are issued.<\/p>\n
Through a new partnership between Outpayce from Amadeus and UnionPay\nInternational, airlines using Outpayce\u2019s Xchange Payments Platform for\nonline payments on their direct payment channels can now accept UnionPay\ncards with standard systems. This direct method helps airlines generate\nadditional revenue whilst optimising the payment experience for\ntravellers through improved transaction success rates.<\/p>\n
The Amadeus Travel Platform is a digital marketplace connecting\ntravel service providers\u2014such as airlines, hotels, car rental companies,\nand railway operators\u2014with over 60,000 sellers. Through this\npartnership, travellers wishing to pay with UnionPay cards can be\ndirected directly to the service provider to complete the transaction\nwhen making a booking.<\/p>\n
With this new approach, travellers receive a payment experience\nsimilar to booking directly through an airline\u2019s website, including\naccess to various customer loyalty benefits typically only available for\ndirect airline payments.<\/p>\n
By processing payments directly, airlines can also enhance cash flow,\nas funds can be received more quickly. Additionally, airlines gain\ngreater control over the payment experience on indirect booking\nchannels. By implementing their own policies to prevent fraud and ensure\ntransaction security, airlines increase payment acceptance whilst\ndelivering a better experience for customers.<\/p>\n
Bomme Sheng, Global Director at UnionPay International, stated:\n\u201cUnionPay has established a strong presence in the payment ecosystem\nwithin the aviation industry. Through closer collaboration with Amadeus,\nUnionPay cards will be fully integrated into airline distribution\ntechnology, both on websites and through indirect channels. This further\nstrengthens UnionPay\u2019s travel payment ecosystem and drives the industry\ntowards a more efficient and diverse system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Damian Alonso, Head of Product and Partnerships at Outpayce, said:\n\u201cWe are committed to delivering a seamless payment experience across\nevery channel, regardless of which payment method travellers choose.\nWith our payment platform approach, customers can pay with their\npreferred method easily and securely. Airlines can now provide the same\npayment experience to UnionPay cardholders, whether they book through\nAmadeus sellers or directly through the airline\u2019s own channels, thereby\nmaximising investment in payment mechanisms and optimising the entire\ncustomer experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following the ability to process UnionPay card payments directly,\ntravellers can make payments directly to travel service providers using\nvarious major card networks when completing bookings through the Amadeus\nTravel Platform. Direct UnionPay card payment acceptance through the\nOutpayce Xchange Payments Platform will become available in the first\nhalf of 2026, and will be gradually rolled out across various markets\nthroughout 2026 via the Amadeus Travel Platform.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/travel-service-providers-now-accept-unionpay-card-payments-for-direct-e-commerce-bookings-1773370328", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }