New partnership enhances payment experience, boosts cash flow, and strengthens loyalty for airlines serving Asia-Pacific travelers
SHANGHAI, March 12, 2026 — A strategic partnership between UnionPay International and Outpayce from Amadeus is set to transform how airlines process payments, enabling seamless acceptance of UnionPay cards for both direct and indirect bookings. This initiative is particularly significant as Chinese outbound travel continues to surge, with forecasts projecting a growth rate of 13.5% CAGR, from $140 billion today to $386 billion by 2033.
UnionPay International is already a dominant force in cross-border payments, allowing cardholders to transact in 183 markets across 85 countries and regions. The ability for airlines to directly accept UnionPay cards is critical for serving the growing pool of Asia-Pacific travelers who rely on this payment method. Through the partnership, airlines using Outpayce’s Xchange Payments Platform (XPP) can natively process UnionPay cards in a standardized way, ensuring higher acceptance rates, faster cash flow, and improved control over the payment experience.
The Amadeus Travel Platform, a marketplace connecting travel providers—including airlines, hotels, rail operators, and car rentals—to over 60,000 travel sellers, will now allow travelers to pay with UnionPay cards directly when completing bookings. This means travelers can enjoy the same seamless experience they would have on an airline’s own website, including earning loyalty benefits tied to direct payments. By processing payments directly, airlines can also implement their own approaches to fraud management, ensuring safer, more reliable transactions.
Bomme Sheng, Global Director of UnionPay International, highlighted the importance of the collaboration: “UnionPay has established a solid presence in airline payments. By deepening our cooperation with Amadeus, UnionPay cards will be fully integrated into airline distribution technology, covering both direct websites and indirect channels. This initiative further strengthens UnionPay’s air travel payment ecosystem and promotes greater efficiency and diversity across the industry.”
Damian Alonso, Head of Product and Partnerships at Outpayce, emphasized the traveler-focused benefits: “Our mission is to provide a smooth payment experience in every channel. With this platform approach, travelers can pay using their preferred method in a trusted and straightforward way. Airlines can now deliver the same consistent payment experience to UnionPay cardholders, whether through Amadeus travel sellers or their own direct channels, maximizing investment in payments and enhancing overall satisfaction.”
The integration of UnionPay card acceptance through the Outpayce XPP is expected to roll out gradually across various markets throughout 2026, with initial enablement in H1 2026. This step ensures that airlines can maintain consistent service quality across multiple regions while simplifying transactions for travelers.
UnionPay International continues to expand its global network, working with over 2,600 partners worldwide to facilitate convenient, secure, and cost-effective cross-border payments. By collaborating with Outpayce, UnionPay strengthens its presence in the airline payments ecosystem and enables airlines to improve operational efficiency, boost cash flow, and provide an enhanced experience for passengers from 85 issuing countries.
Outpayce, a wholly-owned entity of Amadeus, focuses on optimizing end-to-end travel payments. Its open API platform connects fintech and banking partners with the travel ecosystem, supporting multiple currencies, virtual cards, and payment methods. Outpayce’s XPP also addresses challenges like fraud management, authentication, and foreign exchange, ensuring a seamless experience for both travelers and merchants.
The partnership represents a significant milestone for airlines in Asia-Pacific, giving them the tools to manage payments across direct and indirect channels more effectively while catering to the payment preferences of a fast-growing traveler segment. By leveraging UnionPay’s extensive network and Outpayce’s technology, airlines can offer greater flexibility, improve cash flow, and strengthen loyalty programs, ultimately enhancing the travel experience for millions of passengers.
For more information about Outpayce and the platform’s capabilities, visit www.outpayce.com.
About UnionPay International
UnionPay International (UPI) works to expand UnionPay’s global network and provide seamless cross-border payment solutions. With partnerships in 183 countries and regions and card issuance in 85 markets, UPI supports a growing base of cardholders and merchants worldwide, ensuring high-quality, secure, and convenient payment services.
About Outpayce
Outpayce from Amadeus simplifies travel payments for airlines, hotels, and travel sellers by offering an open, scalable, and integrated payments platform. Its Xchange Payment Platform addresses authentication, acceptance, and currency conversion challenges, providing a secure and efficient payment experience for all stakeholders in the travel ecosystem.
This collaboration underscores the growing importance of flexible and efficient payment solutions in the rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific travel market, helping airlines enhance revenue, improve traveler satisfaction, and maintain competitive advantage.
