United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
UATP partners with Bitnet for bitcoin airline ticketing
Global payment platform Universal Air Travel Plan has teamed up with bitcoin payment processor Bitnet to offer UATP’s 260 airline partners the ability to accept bitcoin payments for flight bookings.
Although no airlines currently accept bitcoin transactions, the integration allows for a seamless transition when this changes.
"It’s putting a foundation in place that enables this global network of airlines to have a much lower barrier to entry if they wish to accept bitcoin," said Akif Khan, vice president of solutions strategy at Bitnet.
UATP, which counts JetBlue, Qantas, US Airways and United Airlines among its partner airlines, will not charge extra fees for bitcoin processing, but will be compensated by Bitnet.
Bitnet says transactions will be processed in a similar way to normal UATP payment methods and refunds will be made directly with bitcoins by airlines which eventually accept the cryptocurrency.
The company says it is in talks with airlines to accept bitcoin and will look at offering incentives for early adoption.
"We are very happy to be partnering with Bitnet to add bitcoin to our payment platform. We are always looking for skilled partners to bring additional forms of payment to the UATP processing platform and Bitnet fits the bill well," said Ralph Kaiser, president and CEO, UATP.
UATP processes about $14bn in payments from airlines, travel agents and Amtrak.
UATP has long advocated the flexibility of alternative payment methods; it was one of the early adopters of PayPal and also partners with Alipay.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Storm Lilian travel chaos as bank holiday flights cancelled