1. Overview of Pay-Later Flights
If you think a vacation is out of your reach, think again. Some airlines and online travel agencies have services that allow you to secure a trip now and pay for it over time.
2. Airlines Offering Pay-Later Flights
AeroMexico
AeroMexico connects major U.S. cities to Latin American destinations like Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. The airline partners with Uplift to provide a monthly payment option. When you go to book a flight, you’ll see an option to pay in monthly installments. Click through for any personal information Uplift needs to process the loan.
You can also pay in installments through Klarna. Download the Klarna extension for Chrome or the app, and a pink “K” icon will display financing options. AeroMexico also accepts PayPal, enabling you to use PayPal Credit to break up payments when approved.
Air Canada
Pay monthly for Air Canada flights and Air Canada Vacations packages with Uplift or PayPal Credit.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines partners with Uplift and Klarna to offer financing for flights.
Allegiant
Allegiant also uses Uplift and Klarna to provide payment plans. Select the Allegiant Pay option at checkout to explore financing through Uplift.
American Airlines
American Airlines offers several ways to buy now and pay later, including Klarna, PayPal Credit, Citi Flex Pay for select Citi cardholders, and Affirm, which provides biweekly, monthly, and interest-free options, excluding flight extras like luggage. American Airlines Vacations also has the option to pay monthly with Uplift.
Azul
Azul Airlines, a low-cost Brazilian airline, allows payments through Uplift and PayPal.
Delta Air Lines
Delta offers PayPal Credit as a payment option, which you can use when booking through Delta Vacations, a service for SkyMiles members that bundles flights, hotels, transportation, and activities.
Emirates
This airline partners with financing institutions Uplift and Klarna, and you can also pay using PayPal Credit.
Frontier Airlines
Budget carrier Frontier Airlines allows monthly installments through Uplift on purchases of $49 or more. Eligible customers will see this option at checkout and Frontier also collaborates with Klarna.
KLM
KLM allows customers to hold a fare for 72 hours for a non-refundable fee, which is beneficial if you find a fare you want to book but need some time to decide. Moreover, the airline accepts PayPal Credit, displayed as a “Bill Me Later” option during payment which directs you to your PayPal wallet.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa lists payment methods on its website, with monthly payment options available specifically for residents of Brazil and Colombia. U.S. residents may use PayPal Credit for monthly payments.
Porter Airlines
Porter, a Canadian airline, enables customers to use Uplift and PayPal for purchasing flights across the U.S. and Canada.
Qatar Airways
Except for flights from Brazil, Brunei, or Kazakhstan, Qatar Airways allows you to hold any booking for up to 72 hours. The length of time you can hold a booking varies based on your travel route. The “Hold My Booking” option, which requires a non-refundable fee, does not apply toward your ticket price, but you can often pay with PayPal Credit.
Southwest
Southwest Airlines utilizes Uplift to break the cost of the flight into fixed monthly payments, along with accepting PayPal Credit and Klarna.
Sunwing
Sunwing connects Canadian cities with destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean, allowing you to pay for plane tickets in monthly installments via Uplift.
United Airlines
Use Uplift, PayPal Credit, or Klarna to finance United Airlines flights in monthly payments. United also features a program called FareLock, allowing you to pay a fee to hold a fare for three, seven, or fourteen days before completing your purchase.
3. Online Travel Agencies Providing Monthly Payment Options
Alternative Airlines
Any ticket booked through Alternative Airlines can be financed in weekly, biweekly, or monthly installments with Uplift, covering itineraries from over 600 airlines, with Klarna also available for splitting payments.
CheapOair.com
CheapOair employs Affirm to grant customers a monthly payment option.
Funjet Vacations
Funjet Vacations collaborates with Uplift to allow monthly payments for flights and vacation packages.
Priceline
Priceline utilizes Affirm for monthly payments. Choose the “monthly payments” option during the secure billing stage of booking, selecting from three, six, or twelve-month payment plans. Alternatively, you can arrange four payments over six weeks using Klarna.
4. Understanding Buy-Now, Pay-Later Services
Airlines and travel agencies collaborate with BNPL services like travel-specific Uplift or broadly accessible Affirm to present monthly payment options. Some services facilitate payments through PayPal Credit and/or Klarna. Here are key differences among them:
Affirm
Affirm enables customers to pay monthly or biweekly, with terms lasting up to 48 months for larger loans. Typically, terms last up to a year, and interest rates range from 0% to 36% APR determined at the time of application. A down payment and credit check may be needed when applying for loans.
PayPal Credit
This monthly payment option is available from travel companies that accept PayPal. Usually, you select PayPal as your payment method, sign into your PayPal account, and choose PayPal Credit. The variable purchase APR is approximately 28% as of 2023, but you can avoid interest by settling the loan within six months. Loan approvals are subject to credit verification.
Uplift
Uplift leads the pay-over-time financing service in travel, partnering with cruise lines, hotels, airlines, and more. Upon selecting your flight, you will see a per-month rate based on your cart items. At the payment page, select monthly payment, provide personal details, and upon clicking “check rate,” you will know if approved. Uplift offers an APR of 0% to 36% based on credit status, with no penalties for early or late payments, and autopay can be established for automatic deductions.
Klarna
Klarna divides the ticket price into monthly payments or four equal payments two weeks apart. By adding the Klarna extension to Chrome or downloading their app, you can select Klarna during the booking process. The first payment is due upfront, with an APR of 0% to about 30% available.
