Dubai-based Emirates has added Bitcoin and crypto payments for flight bookings, giving customers the option to pay through Crypto.com Pay when buying tickets.
The airline said Tuesday that customers can now book flights using the crypto exchange’s payment feature. Emirates and Crypto.com had already announced last year that they would work together.
Crypto.com Pay now available at checkout
Under the new arrangement, travelers with a Crypto.com account can select Crypto.com Pay at checkout when booking on emirates.com or through the Emirates app. Emirates had first signaled back in 2022 that it planned to implement Bitcoin payments. With the latest rollout, Crypto.com customers can use digital assets to make payments.
For now, the payment option is limited to eligible UAE residents making bookings that are priced and settled in Emirati dirham.
Integration runs through Crypto.com’s Dubai-licensed entity
The payment setup is handled through Crypto.com’s licensed entity in Dubai. The company said that entity was the first virtual asset service provider to receive a Stored Value Facilities license from the Central Bank of the UAE.
Launch aligns with Dubai’s cashless push
Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim said the decision reflects fast-changing preferences among a younger, digitally fluent generation that manages money and plans trips mainly from mobile phones, while expecting airlines to keep up.
The launch also ties into broader government goals. It supports Dubai’s Cashless Strategy, part of the D33 Economic Agenda, which aims to make 90% of transactions across the emirate’s government and private sectors digital by the end of 2026.
The move follows an earlier Emirates partnership with Dubai Finance to advance digital payments. It also comes after Crypto.com reached its own agreement with Dubai Finance to accept digital payments for government services.
The report first appeared in Bitcoin Magazine and was written by Mathew Di Salvo.