Emirates Airline has enabled flight booking payments using digital assets through its website and app, a service initially available to eligible UAE residents.

This feature is offered in collaboration with the licensed exchange Crypto.com. Passengers with an account on the platform can select the Crypto.com Pay option when paying for their tickets. However, pricing and final settlement of the booking will continue to be conducted in UAE Dirhams.

On the Emirates app, users are redirected to the Crypto.com app after selecting this payment method to confirm the transaction from their wallet. Once the payment is complete, the passenger is returned to the Emirates app to receive their booking confirmation and e-ticket.

Users on the Emirates website must also select the Crypto.com Pay option during the payment stage and scan the displayed QR code with the Crypto.com app. After the transaction is confirmed, the ticket and booking information will be issued on the screen.

Crypto.com previously became the first virtual asset service provider to receive a Stored Value Facility license from the Central Bank of the UAE. According to Emirates, transactions are processed through the company's infrastructure in accordance with the country's regulatory requirements.

The launch of this service is part of the expansion of digital payments in the UAE and the Dubai Cashless Strategy, a program aiming to digitize 90% of financial transactions in Dubai's public and private sectors by the end of 2026.

The published report did not specify the types of cryptocurrencies accepted, payment limits, refund conditions, or the timeline for expanding the service to passengers outside the UAE.