Provider BNPL Uplift has announced a partnership with electronic payments processor for the travel industry Amadeus to boost the travel user experience for US and Canadian customers.
Amadeus is partnering with travel specialist Uplift to bring BNPL services to its popular Amadeus Xchange (XPP) payment platform, as part of a multi-vendor BNPL ecosystem dedicated to travel.
XPP is used by hundreds of airlines and travel agencies to power all aspects of their payments, from fraud prevention to payment acceptance. Through this partnership, airlines, travel agencies and hotels can easily add BNPL options to their sales channels through a single connection to Amadeus, making “Uplift” BNPL options more easily accessible to travelers across the United States and Canada. Travelers can choose to pay for their trip in a series of installments over six, nine or twelve months.
Tom Botts, Chief Commercial Officer of Uplift, said travelers increasingly prefer the option of paying for a trip in instalments, more than two-thirds of Uplift users have chosen BNPL as it reduces the financial stress of paying over time rather than all at once. BNPL has become a standard means of payment for travel. Now, travel providers that rely on the Amadeus Xchange payment platform can add Uplift’s flexible payments, immediately benefiting from greater customer loyalty and increased bookings.
Amadeus officials said in the company’s official press release that “BNPL’s growth across all sectors has been remarkable and the message from travelers is clear: they want the choice of paying for travel in installments. time”. These payment options will aid the resumption of travel by easing pent-up demand for higher value vacations as travel restrictions are lifted.
Amadeus data on BNPL travel payments
Already common to the retail sector, BNPL is particularly well suited to the travel industry due to the common requirement of upfront payments at the time of booking. Amadeus research of over 5,000 travelers suggests that 68% would spend more on travel if BNPL options were available, with 49% confirming they would be more likely to purchase ancillary airline services.
Travel remains an important item for consumers, especially when planning a family or long-haul trip. Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) options have emerged in recent years as a way to spread the cost of a purchase over multiple monthly payments, providing additional flexibility for travelers.
According to an Amadeus study published in August 2022, 75% of respondents were more likely to opt for Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) plans to finance their travels, compared to only 44% who are more likely to put their expenses on their own. credit cards, and 26% who are considering opting for payday loans.
Besides BNPL payments, 48% of survey participants said they were more likely to try prepaid debit cards with room for different currencies to avoid huge FX trading fees when they pay abroad, while 49% of them declared their interest in co-branded products. cards offering loyalty points.
