THE LAST MILE OF
CONVERSION How seamless payments drive revenue from high-intent travelers
Travel growth vs. payment friction
Travel revenues are booming, but payment friction is holding back billions in bookings.
17%
$693B
projected passenger revenues in 2025
$117B
of travelers
worth of bookings
experience a card decline when booking online
at risk due to declines
Convenience isn’t optional
Travelers expect a seamless booking experience, every extra hurdle means lost loyalty.
REACTIONS TO CARD DECLINES:
82%
92%
I RETRY WITH ANOTHER PAYMENT METHOD
I DO NOT
rate ease of payment
5% BUY AT ALL 13%
as important
I BUY FROM ANOTHER WEBSITE
Variety of payment methods defines conversion
59%
Without the right payment options, travelers walk away and competitors win.
are likely to abandon a booking if their preferred method isn’t offered
HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO ABANDON YOUR SHOPPING IF YOUR PREFERRED PAYMENT METHOD WAS NOT AVAILABLE ON THE CHECKOUT PAGE?
USA 13% 39% 26% 38%
SPAIN 47% 29% 18% 6%
UK 44% 32% 13% 10%
HONG KONG 41% 34% 13% 11%
BRAZIL 19% 44% 25% 24% KEY: LIKELY
VERY LIKELY
UNLIKELY
72%
40%
79%
41%
77%
Visa, Mastercard or Amex card
71%
72%
29%
77%
53%
Visa, Mastercard or Amex card
Visa, Mastercard or Amex card
Visa, Mastercard or Amex card
Visa, Mastercard or Amex card
VERY UNLIKELY
Paypal
Paypal
Pix
AliPayHK
Paypal
TOP PREFERRED PAYMENT METHODS FOR COMPLETING A PURCHASE ONLINE
Local currencies drive trust
92%
Showing prices in the traveler’s currency is a must, not a nice-to-have. Only
1%
want prices displayed
say currency display is unimportant
in their preferred currency
75% PREFER SPLIT PAYMENTS (E.G., CARD + MILES)
ADOPTION GAP: OF AIRLINES OFFER IT (MAINLY CARD + LOYALTY POINTS)
73% 22%
OF OTAS OFFER IT
Travelers want more payment flexibility than the industry currently offers.
Split payments:
the missing feature
What travel providers must prioritize
Winning travel brands treat payments as a growth strategy, not a back-end function.
TWO PILLARS OF A SUCCESSFUL PAYMENT STRATEGY:
Convenience: Minimize declines, simplify payment UX, reduce friction Flexibility: Localized payment methods, multicurrency, and split payments
Nuvei enables this with:
Local acquiring in 50 markets
150 currencies, 720+ APMs
Advanced payment orchestration
Smarter fraud prevention
Seamless split payment capabilities
This was just a snapshot. See the full findings from 1,000+ travelers across 5 markets
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