Fly with Vueling and Pay with Crypto: Spanish Airline Embraces Digital Currency

Vueling, the budget-friendly Spanish airline, is taking off into the future of payments by incorporating blockchain and NFT technology to accept cryptocurrency. Teaming up with Criptan, a Spanish crypto exchange, this new payment option is set to be available for customers by the third quarter of 2023.

Vueling airline to Collect Payment in Crypto

Vueling, a leading budget airline in Spain, is making waves in the industry by announcing plans to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment for its services. Utilizing cutting-edge blockchain and NFT technology, the company aims to give customers the option to purchase plane tickets with crypto. This move comes as the travel industry begins to recover from post-Covid-19 restrictions.

Vueling is making history as the first low-cost airline in Europe to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment. The company has partnered with Criptan, a registered national crypto exchange, to facilitate the process and ensure secure transactions for customers. This innovative move positions Vueling at the forefront of the industry’s shift toward digital currencies. On this, Jesus Monzo, Vueling’s alliances and distribution manager, stated:

This agreement places us at the forefront of new technologies and innovation, further reinforcing our commitment to our customers and offering the best and most advanced tools and solutions on our website.

Jorge Soriano, Criptan’s CEO, stated the company is convinced that the introduction of crypto payments could improve user experience by showing customers the potential there is behind the implementation of such solutions.

Vueling’s crypto payment option is set to launch on the airline’s website by Q3 2023. Utilizing UATP technology, a global payments network for airlines, customers will soon be able to use cryptocurrency to purchase tickets. The company has yet to announce which specific cryptocurrencies will be accepted.

Vueling is not the only airline exploring the use of cryptocurrency and NFTs in their operations. Other airlines have already begun to implement these technologies into their businesses. For example, Flybondi, an Argentine airline, announced plans to issue plane tickets as NFTs in September 2022, allowing customers to resell them on secondary markets. Additionally, the airline will accept payments in stablecoins like USDC, with Binance Pay serving as their payment processing partner.