- Alipay users can now make airfare purchases to the US through the Chinese payment platform
- Purchases must be facilitated through a travel agent
- Payment option made possible by Airlines Reporting Corp. and Universal Air Travel Plan
Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC), a major player in the travel industry, has just announced plans to facilitate Alipay as a form of payment for airfare sold through participating travel agencies.
Alipay is China's leading remittance and international payments platform, offering users mobile and online options for making purchases or sending international money transfers. With more than 500 million users, the Alipay integration for airfare represents a significant opportunity for travel agents.
ARC is partnering with Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP) to implement Alipay purchases. UATP is a payment solution owned and operated by the global airline industry and is accepted at thousands of outlets for air, train and travel agency purchases.
Citing Alipay's impressive accountholder numbers, officials say this is an effective way to make travel to and from the US easier and more convenient for Chinese citizens. With Alipay, users can purchase airfare through a participating travel agency in their native currency with a familiar payment method.
Demand for Alipay continues to increase and the ARC/UATP partnership allows travel agencies to meet this demand for a better consumer experience. Foreign travellers have access to payment methods and currencies they are comfortable with, making international travel purchases seamless.
"Alipay is widely recognized as one of the largest payment platforms in the world, and as people from China travel to the US they want to use their preferred payment method," said ARC Managing Director of Airline Services Chuck Fischer. "For airlines that choose to accept Alipay, ARC now provides the means to extend this payment platform to the agency channel."
For more information about paying for overseas travel, read our personalized guide here.
