More and More Airlines are offering instalments to travellers in the hopes to get them to book into a more premium cabin or to simply spread out the costs to retain business overall.
Below is a list of airlines around the world that offer instalment plans with a brief overview of what they offer. If you want to read more, there is a link to the website’s page (in case you want to read into it more).
Air Asia
Applicable Counties:
Australia & Indonesia
AirAsia has become one of the leading airlines offering financial flexibility to its passengers through its ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ service.
If you’re curious about how it works, we’ve got you covered.
American Airlines
- Alliance – OneWorld
- Restrictions – Must own an AA Credit Card
- Payment Method – Their Own
- Applicable Counties – United States
American Airlines has a ‘Fly Now Payment Plan’, which gives you six months to pay off the flight without adding interest (so long as the flight cost $150 or more).
However it is only available with an American Airlines branded credit card. To get this credit card you will need an United States billing address.
British Airways
- Alliance – OneWorld
- Restrictions – Package Holidays
- Payment Method – Their Own
- Applicable Counties – Everyone
British Airways offers the option to book online with nothing more than a low deposit. A deposit can be as low as £150 GBP.
But this option is if you book a package: either flight + hotel, or flight + car. All flight only, hotel, car and experience only bookings, and any hotel, car or experiences added to a flight only booking are excluded from this offer.
The full balance of the booking must be paid at least 5 weeks prior to your departure.
Delta Airways
- Alliance – SkyTeam
- Restrictions – Holiday Packages
- Payment Method – Affirm
- Applicable Counties – United States
Delta Vacations has partnered with Affirm to offer instalments on holiday packages – all you need is name, phone number, email address, date of birth and the last four digits of your social security number. Naturally this is a US only option except for Iowa and West Virginia.
Once approved, you have the option to spread out the cost of your trip over 6, 12 or 18 monthly instalments
Etihad
- Alliance – Independent
- Restrictions – Must have a UAE, Saudi or Egyptian issued bank card
- Payment Method – Their Own
- Applicable Counties – United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt
Only available to bookings made in the UAE, Saudi and Egypt. Cardholders must hold either a visa or MasterCard and be from an issuing back which allows for instalments.
Etihad has noted that it is bank that decides if you will be eligible for instalments with plans ranging from three to 60 months.
Garuda
- Alliance – Skyteam
- Restrictions – Must have Indonesian issued credit card
- Payment Method – Their Own
- Applicable Counties – Indonesia
Garuda offers the ability for passengers to pay through monthly instalments only if they hold an Indonesian issued credit card on either Visa or Mastercard. Terms are either 3, 6 or 12 months depending on the Bank (not credit card company).
Departure must be from Indonesia and can be on flights internal or international.
Iberia
Applicable Counties:
Spain
When it comes to planning your travel, Iberia is revolutionising the way you can manage your finances. Their ‘Payment in Instalments’ service, currently exclusive to customers in Spain, allows passengers to spread the cost of their flight tickets over a period of up to 12 months.
Intrigued? Our latest article provides an in-depth look at this payment option.
Jet Blue
- Alliance – Independent
- Restrictions – Holiday Packages
- Payment Method – UpLift
- Applicable Counties – United States
Jet Blue’s vacation arm partners with UpLight to offer instalments on holiday packages. Travelers now have the option to pay for vacation itineraries – including JetBlue flights, hotels and other amenities – up front or in 12 monthly instalments with APRs that starts at 8.99%
During the payment process, travellers can see and select “pay in full” or “pay monthly”.
K.L.M. Royal Dutch Airlines
- Alliance – Skyteam
- Restrictions – None
- Payment Method – Paypal Credit
- Applicable Counties – Everyone
KLM allows you to checkout with PayPal and choose the ‘Bill Me Later’ option. It gives you six months to pay off the balance, with no interest.
On the surface, its open to everyone who has a PayPal credit account associated with their PayPal account. Naturally you are then bound to the terms and conditions of both KLM and PayPal.
Korean Airlines
- Alliance – Skyteam
- Restrictions – Must have Korean issued credit card
- Payment Method – Their Own
- Applicable Counties – Korea
Korean Airlines offers the ability for passengers to pay through monthly instalments of 3, 6, 9 or 12 months.
This would be available for customers with credit cards issued by Korean banks. Although it does seem that this is possible with Visa, Mastercard, Amex and JCB
Qatar Airways
- Alliance – OneWorld
- Restrictions – Must have Indian issued credit card
- Payment Method – Their Own
- Applicable Counties – India
The payment option makes it possible for passengers to pay for their booking through monthly instalments of 3, 6, 9 or 12 months.
This would be available for customers with credit cards issued by Indian banks.
Qantas
- Alliance – OneWorld
- Restrictions – Must depart from Australia, New Zealand or United Kingdom
- Payment Method – Their Own
- Applicable Counties – Australia, New Zealand or United Kingdom
You can now book your flights at qantas.com and delay payment until closer to your departure date by paying a holding deposit.
Book Now Pay Later is also available from New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Holding deposit amount per passenger per booking
- New Zealand: $50 NZD
- United Kingdom: £15 GBP
- Australia: $25 AUD
Book Now, Pay Later on flights originating in Australia include selected international fares and domestic Fully Flexible and Business Class fares, as well as domestic Jetstar Starter with Max bundle fares.
Payment must be made in full on or before midnight (11:59pm) of the due date advised at the time of booking. If you do not pay the fare in full on or before the due date, the booking will be cancelled. The time zone used to calculate midnight for your booking will be advised when you choose Book Now, Pay Later.
United Airlines
- Alliance – Star Alliance
- Restrictions – Package Holidays
- Payment Method – Their Own
- Applicable Counties – Everyone, Departing from the USA
United Vacations allows you to reserve your vacation from just $200 per person and pay the rest later. The program offers you the flexibility to apply multiple payments over time, or even pay using multiple credit cards. The final payment is due at least 45 days prior to departure.
Only available if your departure destination is in the US and available if the holiday is more than six weeks in advance.
Virgin (Holiday)
- Alliance – Independent
- Restrictions – Package Holidays
- Payment Method – Direct Debit
- Applicable Counties – UK & Australia in 2020
Virgin holidays allows for payment instalments to be made in two different ways
Standard Deposit – If the departure is more than 12 weeks away, then you only need to pay a deposit of £175 per person including children (if departing from the UK). Full balance is required 12 weeks before departure.
Pay in Chunks – Pay £100 in the initial month and £50 every subsequent month, so long as the full balance is received 12 weeks before departure.
While this feature is currently available in the UK via a direct debit function, it is stated that Virgin Australia will be getting this function in mid-2020