The travel industry has been experiencing significant growth in recent years due to increased travel activity in both developed and developing countries. Consequently, payment processing solutions are experiencing higher demand as businesses look for efficient solutions. In 2025, the global travel payments platform market was USD 11.4 billion. This valuation will continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8%, reaching USD 28.6 billion by 2034.
The North America region continues to lead with a valuation of USD 3.9 billion (34.2% of the global market share). Europe remains the second-largest market, with a market share of 26.8%. However, the Asia Pacific region will be the fastest-growing market with a CAGR of 13.9% through 2034. Countries like China will lead this growth, with a projected 200 million travellers annually by 2027. The Latin America region will grow at a CAGR of 11.4%, while the Middle East and Africa will grow at a CAGR of 12.7%.
There are various factors contributing to this growth, including:
Travel payment processing refers to the systems and services that allow travel businesses to accept, authorise, and manage customer payments for bookings. This can include payments for flights, hotel stays, holiday packages, tours, car rentals, and other travel-related services. In practice, travel payment processing covers everything from the moment a customer enters their payment details to the point where the business authorises, settles, and records funds.
There are three systems involved in this process:
Payment gateways represent the technology that collects customer payment information. For example, if you have a form on your website that requires customers to enter their card details, that’s your payment gateway. It connects your booking software to the payment processor.
A payment processor is the service that handles the transaction behind the scenes by communicating with the customer’s bank or card network to approve or decline the payment. It authorises the transactions and moves the money from the customer’s account to your business account. You can think of a payment processor as the technology that ensures the transaction is complete.
A merchant account is a specialised business account that temporarily holds the funds deducted from the customer’s account before transferring them to your main business account. In the travel business, this account plays a significant role because the process can involve delayed settlements, high transaction values, refunds, or cross-border transactions.
If you want to book many travellers, you must consider offering multiple payment solutions. For instance, a domestic tourist might opt for a local payment solution, while an international tourist may choose bank transfers or installments. As a global merchant, you want to ensure that you accommodate as many customers as possible and reduce the risk of lost sales at checkout.
Most tourists still use cards to pay for their travel bookings and expenses. In 2025, debit and credit cards dominated the market with a market share of 43.7%. Visa and Mastercard are the most popular cards used by tourists, with a total market share of 68%, while UnionPay and American Express account for the majority of the remaining market share. So, if you’re planning to work with international tourists, consider adding these cards to your payment system.
Digital wallets represent the fastest-growing payment method in the travel industry with a CAGR of 14.2% through 2034. They account for 27.4% of the global travel payment methods and will reach 38% by 2030. Some of the most common digital wallets you should add to your payment systems include Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, WeChat Pay, Samsung Pay, and Alipay. These options allow customers to complete bookings more quickly by using stored payment details on mobile devices or online accounts.
In some markets, such as Europe, bank transfers remain a common payment method, especially for high-value hotel and package holiday bookings. They account for 17.4% of the global travel payment market share. Despite the growing use of alternative methods, this number shows that there is still a significant number of travel customers who prefer direct bank transfers.
If you want to give your clients the flexibility to plan and pay for their trips, BNPL is a good payment method to include in your system. This approach allows customers to pay the travel costs in installments spread across a certain agreed period of time.
Different markets use varying payment options. Offering a payment method that customers recognise and trust can increase your bookings. While you don’t have to offer every option used across the world, it is important to understand the methods used in your target markets. Then, offer customised options to appeal to travellers in these regions or those planning to visit.
Travel payment processing solutions are not the same. They often come with different features and at different prices. Before you start looking for a solution, think about what problems you’re looking to solve and what you need from the platform.
Travel businesses often accept bookings from customers in different countries, which means payment systems must handle more than one currency. Multi-currency support allows customers to pay in a familiar currency while helping your business manage international transactions more effectively.
For example, Antom is a unified payment platform that allows you to receive and send payments in over 140 currencies. The platform serves more than 200 markets and supports over 300 payment methods. With such an integrated platform, you can accept and manage travel bookings from customers in multiple parts of the world.
Your ideal payment solution should meet the industry security standards to ensure it protects your business as well as your customers. For example, it should be Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) compliant. This allows it to handle credit card information. Other considerations include built-in fraud-detection features, such as CVV checks and the ability to flag suspicious activities, and 3D secure authentication.
Check out problems increase the likelihood of customers abandoning their cart. This can lead to lost revenues. Therefore, when selecting your travel payment processing solution, ensure that it makes the payment experience as easy as possible for the travellers. Check for features like mobile-friendliness, the ability for repeat customers to save payment information, and guest checkout options.
Prioritise travel payment processing solutions that help you track transactions, reconcile payments efficiently, and simplify financial record-keeping. For example, you should be able to see all your transactions in the same place and filter them. The payment processing platform should also allow you to integrate accounting software for easier reconciliation and reporting. This feature can save you hours of manual data entry.
How much does the payment processing solution cost?
As you evaluate this, remember that these platforms often include more than the subscription or buying fees. For example, does your provider require you to pay a setup fee? Also, check for transaction fees, currency conversion charges, and chargeback fees.
Your payment processing solution should offer reliable customer support. Think about how long it takes for the support team to respond to inquiries or address problems. When working in the travel industry, you’ll often encounter challenges that may need urgent support. For example, payment failures or a customer requesting refunds or cancellation. Ensure that your selected platform can help you during such times.
Choosing the best travel payment processing solutions requires considerations beyond the fees. You need to first understand your target customers and current and future business needs and goals. This helps you determine the critical features to look for in your ideal solution.
Ready to build a better travel payment experience? Learn more about Antom here.
Many travel payment processing solutions can integrate with booking engines, reservation platforms, or back-office systems. This can reduce manual work and help businesses manage payments more efficiently across sales channels.
Settlement timelines can affect cash flow, especially for businesses managing supplier payments, refunds, or seasonal booking volumes. A provider with slow settlement cycles may create extra pressure on day-to-day operations.