Middle Eastern low-cost airline Air Arabia has announced a partnership with Mbank to accept payment for travel on the airline’s services using the cryptocurrency AE Coin. The airline states that the partnership represents a “revolutionary leap in digital payments, offering a seamless, secure booking experience through AE Coin.”
Air Arabia, as the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier, and Al Maryah Community Bank (Mbank), the United Arab Emirates’ first fully integrated digital bank, have partnered to enable the use of AE Coin payments for flight bookings through the AEC Wallet App. This collaboration makes Air Arabia the first airline in the region to offer stablecoin-based payments, underscoring the carrier’s commitment to offering innovative digital solutions to its customer base.
As the UAE’s first AED-backed stablecoin, AE Coin is pegged 1:1 to the UAE Dirham, which the partners say, “ensures price stability, security, and low transaction fees. With this integration, Air Arabia’s customers can now select the AEC Wallet at checkout when booking via Arabia’s website, offering a new convenient payment alternative that aligns with the UAE’s vision of a digital-first economy.”
“We are proud to partner with Mbank to introduce AE Coin as a secure and innovative payment option for our customers,” said Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia. “At Air Arabia, we are committed to embracing digitalization across our operations, and this partnership reflects our efforts to enhance our customer experience through technology. The newly introduced payment option through AEC Wallet reflects our ongoing efforts to adopt smart solutions that bring greater value, choice, and flexibility to our growing customer base.”
Mohammed Wassim Khayata, CEO of Mbank, added, “We are proud to partner with Air Arabia to offer AE Coin as a payment option for travelers. Air Arabia’s strong reputation as a leading low-cost carrier operator serving a diverse customer base aligns perfectly with our mission to provide accessible, secure, and affordable digital payment solutions to our community. Through this partnership, we are not only enhancing the booking process but also contributing to the UAE’s broader goal of creating a truly inclusive, digitally empowered financial ecosystem.”
Ramez Rafeek, General Manager of AED Stablecoin, added: “This partnership with Air Arabia is a key milestone for AE Coin as it makes digital currency even more accessible to everyday consumers. By integrating AE Coin into flight bookings, we are simplifying the payment experience for travelers and enabling a seamless cashless solution that aligns with the growing digital economy. Air Arabia’s leadership in adopting digital payment solutions within the aviation industry is an exciting development that will set the stage for wider adoption of digital currencies in the region.”
While Air Arabia becomes the first airline in the Middle Eastern low-cost arena to accept cryptocurrency payments, several airlines now accept such payments, often through third-party platforms or in partnership with digital payment providers. Some of the major international airlines that accept crypto for flights include Delta, United, and Emirates, among others.
In 2014, Air Baltic distinguished itself by being an early adopter of Bitcoin for direct flight purchases, setting a precedent within the airline sector. The airline’s acceptance of several cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Dogecoin, provided travelers with a range of payment methods. The move to accept cryptocurrencies was seen as part of a wider plan to improve customer service and simplify the payment experience, in a move that has since been adopted by many other carriers.
