Emirates has introduced a feature allowing customers to pay for air tickets with cryptocurrency.

On July 28 local time, blockchain outlet Bitcoin Magazine reported that Emirates customers can now book flights using Crypto.com’s payment function.

With the integration, users with a Crypto.com account can select Crypto.com Pay at checkout on emirates.com or the Emirates app. Emirates previously hinted in 2022 at plans to introduce bitcoin payments, and Crypto.com customers can now use their digital assets to pay for air tickets.

The scope is still limited. The option is currently available only to UAE residents whose payments are priced in UAE dirhams (AED). It is seen as a pilot introduction with regional and currency conditions, rather than a full rollout.

The cooperation between Emirates and Crypto.com was signalled last year. The two companies said at the time they would work together, and it has now led to the payment integration. Adnan Kazim (아드난 카짐), Emirates’ deputy president and chief commercial officer, called it a move that reflects the preferences of a digital-friendly generation that manages funds and plans travel by mobile phone, adding that airlines should align with the trend.

The payment infrastructure will be operated through Crypto.com’s Dubai-licensed entity. Crypto.com said the entity is the first virtual asset service provider to receive a stored value facility licence from the UAE central bank. It shows the integration goes beyond a simple partnership and was carried out within the local regulatory framework.

The launch also ties in with Dubai’s policy to expand digital payments. Dubai is pursuing the Dubai Cashless Strategy, part of the D33 Economic Agenda, and aims to shift 90 percent of public and private sector transactions to digital methods by the end of 2026. Emirates’ support for crypto payments is an example of expanding digital payment options in private services under that policy direction.

Emirates has previously moved to cooperate with Dubai Finance to expand digital payments. Crypto.com also separately signed an agreement with Dubai Finance to introduce digital payments for government services. Against that backdrop, Emirates’ move has expanded the use of cryptocurrency payments into flight bookings.

From a market perspective, attention is on linking cryptocurrency to a service with frequent real-world payments, such as air tickets. Still, as access is currently limited to UAE residents and dirham-settled bookings, the next focus is whether the regions and payment scope will expand.

We've officially launched @cryptocom Pay, allowing eligible UAE residents to book using the digital payment solution on our website and app. https://t.co/F7ZiTjUPua pic.twitter.com/XaViajqVms