Video of the week: Payments becomes the new battleground for airline profitability

For most airlines, payments have traditionally been viewed as a back-office function focused on transaction processing and cost management. Today, however, payments are emerging as a strategic capability with direct implications for revenue generation, customer conversion and financial performance.

As airlines expand globally and digital commerce becomes increasingly sophisticated, payment complexity is growing. Rising card fees, fragmented payment ecosystems and varying customer preferences across markets are creating new commercial challenges.

At the same time, advances in financial technology are opening opportunities to improve conversion rates, optimise working capital and strengthen customer relationships.

The question facing airline leaders is no longer simply how to process payments efficiently, but how much of the payment journey they should control directly.

This session from the CAPA Airline Leader Summit - Airlines in Transition in Berlin in May-2026 explores how airlines are reassessing the role of payments within their broader commercial strategy, and whether greater ownership of the payment experience can unlock competitive advantage in an increasingly digital travel marketplace.