Airlines can take control of the payments experience for both direct and in-direct channels

Move improves cashflow and loyalty for airlines by directly processing UnionPay cards

SHANGHAI, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- According to ResearchAndMarkets' recent forecasts, Chinese outbound travel is predicted to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.5%, increasing from $140B today to reach $386B by 2033. UnionPay International helps cardholders to easily make cross-border payments in 183 markets and its payment methods are particularly popular with travelers across Asia Pacific. That's why being able to directly accept UnionPay cards is crucial for airlines serving travelers from the 85 countries and regions where UnionPay cards are issued.

Under the terms of a new partnership between Outpayce from Amadeus and UnionPay International, airlines that power online payments in their direct channels with Outpayce's Xchange Payments Platform can natively accept UnionPay cards in the standardized way. This native acceptance secures more revenue for airlines while improving the payment experience for travelers by drastically increasing acceptance rates.

The Amadeus Travel Platform is a comprehensive marketplace connecting travel providers like airlines, hotels, car rentals and rail operators to more than 60,000 travel sellers so they can combine and retail attractive offers. Thanks to the new partnership, travelers wishing to pay with a UnionPay card can be passed through to the provider to pay directly when making a booking.

The new approach means travelers can access the same payments experience as an airline offers on its website, including access to loyalty benefits that depend on making payment directly with the airline.

By directly processing the payment, airlines improve cash flow by accessing funds faster and can also take control of the payments experience for indirect bookings. By applying their own approach to issues like fraud management, airlines can improve acceptance rates and deliver a better overall experience.

Bomme Sheng, Global Director of UnionPay International said: "UnionPay has established a solid presence in the airline payment vertical. By deepening cooperation with Amadeus, UnionPay cards will be fully integrated into the underlying technology of airline distribution, covering websites, and indirect channels. This will further refine UnionPay's air travel payment ecosystem and promote the industry to upgrade towards greater efficiency and diversity."

Damian Alonso, Head of Product and Partnerships, Outpayce said: "We are committed to enabling a smooth payment experience in every channel however the traveler chooses to pay. Our payment platform approach means travelers can pay with the method of their choice in a way that's easy and trusted. Airlines can now offer the same payments experience to UnionPay cardholders whether they are shopping via Amadeus travel sellers or in their own direct channels, maximizing investments in payments and improving the overall experience."

The addition of card acceptance for UnionPay means that travelers can pay travel providers directly with all major card schemes when their booking is completed via the Amadeus Travel Platform. Native acceptance of UnionPay cards via the Outpayce Exchange Payments Platform is expected to be enabled in H1 2026 and will be enabled gradually across different markets throughout 2026 within the Amadeus Travel Platform.

Left to right: Larry Wang, CEO of UnionPay International; Dong Junfeng, Chairman of China UnionPay and UnionPay International; Luis Maroto, President and CEO, Amadeus; Sam Abdou, CEO, Outpayce from Amadeus

Notes to the editors:

About UnionPay International

UnionPay International (UPI) is dedicated to expanding UnionPay's global network and building seamless cross-border payment experiences. In partnership with over 2,600 partners worldwide, UPI enables card acceptance in 183 countries and regions with issuance in 85 countries and regions. UnionPay International provides high quality, cost effective and secure cross-border payment services to the world's largest cardholder base and ensures convenient local services to a growing number of global UnionPay cardholders and merchants.

About Outpayce

Amadeus makes the experience of travel better for everyone, everywhere by inspiring innovation, partnerships and responsibility to people, places and planet. As a wholly-owned company, Outpayce from Amadeus is the next step in scaling the Amadeus payments business with fresh investment in talent, an open API platform and a license to deliver new regulated payment services.

Outpayce delivers smoother end-to-end travel experiences making travel payments simple. Our open platform connects FinTech and banking service providers to the entire travel ecosystem, allowing customers and travelers to easily benefit from new advances in payments.

Outpayce Xchange Payment Platform (XPP) solves challenges in areas like authentication, acceptance and foreign exchange (FX) for travel merchants and gives access to partners that resolve areas like fraud management and authentication to offer a smoother overall experience for the traveler. 

In the B2B payments space, Outpayce orchestrates payments with a range of virtual cards, currencies and payment methods to optimize cost, acceptance and agility wherever a travel seller needs to pay a supplier.

Outpayce delivers an end-to-end experience by continuing to work with all Amadeus' teams and embedding its capabilities in all of Amadeus' applications. The future is travel simply paid. 

To find out more about Outpayce, visit www.outpayce.com.

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Source: UnionPay International