Airlines Can Control the Payment Experience for Direct and Indirect Sales

Amadeus – March 2, 2026 –This agreement improves cash flow and loyalty for airlines by processing UnionPay cards directly.

According to the latest forecasts from ResearchAndMarkets, international travel by the Chinese population is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5%, rising from USD 140 billion today to USD 386 billion by 2033. UnionPay International helps cardholders make cross-border payments easily in 183 markets, and its payment methods are particularly popular among travelers in the Asia-Pacific region.

This is why it is crucial for airlines serving the 85 countries and regions (including China..) where UnionPay cards are issued to be able to accept these cards directly.

New Partnership Between Outpayce and UnionPay International

As part of a new partnership between Outpayce from Amadeus and UnionPay International, airlines using Outpayce’s Xchange Payments Platform for online payments on their direct channels will now be able to accept UnionPay cards in a standardized way.

This acceptance ensures additional revenue for airlines while enhancing the traveler experience through significantly higher approval rates.

The Amadeus Travel Platform is a marketplace designed to connect travel ecosystem providers — such as airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and rail operators — with over 60,000 travel agencies, allowing them to bundle and market attractive offers.

Through this partnership, travelers wishing to pay with a UnionPay card can be redirected to the provider to pay directly at the time of booking.

Enhanced Payment Experience for Travelers

This new approach allows travelers to enjoy the same payment experience as offered on an airline’s own website, including access to loyalty benefits that depend on direct payment to the airline.

By processing payments directly, airlines improve cash flow by accessing funds faster and can also control the payment experience for indirect bookings. By applying their own approach to areas such as fraud management, airlines can increase approval rates and provide an overall better experience.

Statements from Executives

Bomme Sheng, Global Director of UnionPay International, said:
“UnionPay has established a strong presence in airline payments. By deepening cooperation with Amadeus, UnionPay cards will be fully integrated into the underlying airline distribution technology, covering both websites and indirect channels. This will further refine UnionPay’s payment ecosystem in aviation and encourage the industry to modernize for greater efficiency and diversity.”

Damian Alonso, Head of Product and Partnerships, Outpayce, said:
“We are committed to providing a smooth payment experience across all channels, regardless of the traveler’s chosen payment method. With our payment platform, travelers can use the payment method of their choice, simply and securely. Airlines can now offer the same payment experience to UnionPay cardholders, whether booking through Amadeus travel agencies or the airline’s distribution channels, maximizing their payment investments and enhancing the overall experience.”

UnionPay Card Acceptance via Outpayce Platform

The addition of UnionPay card acceptance means travelers can pay travel offer providers directly with all major card schemes when booking through the Amadeus Travel Platform.

Acceptance of UnionPay cards via the Outpayce Xchange Payments Platform is expected to launch in the first half of 2026 and will be gradually rolled out across different markets throughout 2026 within the Amadeus Travel Platform.

About UnionPay International

UnionPay International (UPI) is dedicated to expanding the global UnionPay network and providing seamless cross-border payment experiences.

Working with over 2,600 partners worldwide, UPI enables card acceptance in 183 countries and regions and issuance in 84 countries and regions. UnionPay International provides high-quality, cost-effective, and secure cross-border payment services to the world’s largest cardholder base, while ensuring convenient local services for an increasing number of UnionPay cardholders and merchants globally.

About Outpayce

Amadeus enhances travel for everyone, everywhere, through innovation, partnerships, and a responsible approach toward the planet, people, and communities.

Outpayce, a 100% Amadeus-owned company, represents the next phase of Amadeus’s payment business expansion, with new investments in talent, an open API platform, and a license to provide new regulated payment services.

Outpayce provides a seamless end-to-end travel experience by simplifying travel-related payments. Its open platform connects banking and fintech providers to the travel ecosystem, enabling customers and travelers to easily benefit from new payment innovations.

The Outpayce Xchange Payments Platform (XPP) addresses issues such as authentication, acceptance, and foreign exchange (FX) for travel professionals and provides access to partners that can solve fraud management and authentication challenges, delivering a smoother overall experience for travelers.

In the B2B payments space, Outpayce orchestrates payments using virtual cards, multiple currencies, and payment methods to optimize cost, acceptance, and flexibility whenever a travel agency pays a provider.

Outpayce provides a comprehensive end-to-end experience, working continuously with all Amadeus teams and integrating its capabilities across all Amadeus applications.

source: Amadeus