Emirates, the Dubai-headquartered global airline, has just started letting people buy tickets with cryptocurrency, thanks to a new partnership with Crypto.com. Now, some people can use Bitcoin or other digital money to buy their plane tickets. The option is available on the Emirates website and mobile app – all you have to do is choose Crypto.com Pay when you’re checking out, instead of using a credit card or bank transfer.
What’s really interesting about this is that Emirates was talking about accepting Bitcoin as far back as 2022, long before they officially teamed up with Crypto.com. Now, the feature is live and ready to use. Four years of teasing has now turned into an actual, working payment option, though for the moment it’s restricted to UAE residents booking in local currency.
Source: crypto.com
Long before any contracts were inked, Emirates was already signaling interest in cryptocurrency payments, floating the concept publicly in 2022 as digital assets gained mainstream traction across the Gulf region. It took until last year for that ambition to take a concrete shape, when the airline and Crypto.com announced a formal collaboration to bring crypto checkout options into Emirates’ booking flow.
This week’s launch is the payoff of that agreement, and notably, it isn’t limited to Bitcoin alone customers can now tap into any digital asset supported within their Crypto.com account to cover the cost of a ticket.
The process leans on infrastructure Crypto.com already runs through its regulated Dubai arm, which holds the distinction of being the first virtual asset service provider awarded a Stored Value Facilities license by the UAE’s central bank.
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
— Emirates (@emirates) July 28, 2026
Travelers booking via the Emirates App get redirected into the Crypto.com app to confirm payment, then sent back to finalize their itinerary, while desktop users scan a checkout QR code and approve the charge from their phone. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, tied the rollout to shifting habits among younger travelers who expect airlines to match how they already manage money largely through their phones.
This launch doesn’t exist in isolation. It directly supports Dubai’s Cashless Strategy, a pillar of the emirate’s D33 Economic Agenda that’s targeting digital settlement for 90% of government and private-sector transactions by the end of 2026.
Both companies have separately worked with Dubai Finance on related digital payment initiatives, with Crypto.com previously securing its own arrangement to process crypto payments for government services suggesting this airline deal is one piece of a much larger regional push toward mainstream crypto adoption.
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