Emirates has signed a deal with Al Etihad Payments to accept Jaywan, the UAE's national card scheme, as a payment method for flight bookings, the airline said in a statement Tuesday.

The agreement was signed by Abdulla Al Olama, Emirates' Vice President Commercial Operations UAE, and Andrea Cianchetti, Chief Product Officer at Al Etihad Payments, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations, according to the statement.

Under the deal, customers can use Jaywan cards to book flights from September 16 both online at emirates.com and in person at Emirates retail stores, where physical cards will be verified by staff before payment. Emirates said it will accept all variants of the card, including the Jaywan Royal Debit Card, Jaywan Prestige Debit Card and Jaywan Prepaid Card.

The airline is also offering discounted fares across all cabin classes to Jaywan cardholders on one-way and return tickets from Dubai. The offer runs for bookings made between September 16, 2026 and August 31, 2027, for travel completed by February 29, 2028. Emirates said the discounted fares are currently available at its retail stores, with online booking access to follow.

Adnan Kazim, Emirates' Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said Jaywan gives UAE customers a homegrown payment option that adds convenience when booking with the airline. He said the move builds on the airline's work with partners across the UAE's digital payments sector to speed up cashless adoption in travel, and added that the partnership supports the wider financial infrastructure the UAE is developing.

Dr Tariq Al Hawi, Chief Operating Officer at Al Etihad Payments, said the tie-up reflects Jaywan's aim of delivering more than just a payment method, giving cardholders added choice and flexibility whether they book online or in person, alongside access to exclusive fares.

Jaywan is the UAE's domestic card scheme, developed by Al Etihad Payments to strengthen the country's national payments infrastructure. It is issued by major banks across the UAE and accepted by a growing number of merchants in sectors including ride-hailing, car rental, dining, healthcare and retail.

The Emirates-Jaywan agreement follows other recent moves by the airline to broaden its digital payment options. In October 2025, Emirates signed a memorandum of understanding with Dubai Finance to promote the Dubai Cashless Strategy among international visitors, and in July it introduced Crypto.com Pay as another payment option on its website and app.

Source: PR