South African Airline LIFT Adds Crypto Payments for Flight Bookings
South African airline LIFT has added cryptocurrency payments to its online booking platform, allowing customers to use digital assets when purchasing flights directly through the carrier’s website.
The airline announced the new payment option on June 24, 2026, as part of a wider expansion that also introduced Apple Pay and Google Pay across its mobile and desktop booking platforms.
Cryptocurrency transactions are processed through South African payment company Ozow, which acts as the payment intermediary between travellers and the airline.
The update gives LIFT customers another way to pay for flights alongside debit and credit cards, digital wallets, payment plans, financing and voucher-based options.
How LIFT’s crypto payment option works
LIFT does not appear to be accepting cryptocurrency directly into a company-controlled wallet.
Instead, the airline has integrated Ozow’s crypto payment service into its booking checkout.
Ozow’s terms describe crypto payments as transactions in which customers use cryptocurrency held in their own third-party wallet applications to pay for goods or services offered by a merchant.
Ozow acts as the merchant’s payment agent and may receive, aggregate and settle the payment to the merchant according to its applicable settlement arrangements.
This means a traveller may initiate the purchase using cryptocurrency while the payment provider handles the conversion and settlement process.
LIFT may therefore ultimately receive South African rand or another fiat settlement rather than holding cryptocurrency on its own balance sheet.
When was the functionality introduced?
LIFT formally announced the expanded payment options on June 24, 2026.
The airline’s statement said customers could “now” pay using cryptocurrency through Ozow, indicating that the functionality was already available when the announcement was published.
Some follow-up reports appeared on June 25 and later dates, but these were reports about the rollout rather than separate launch dates.
The most accurate launch date is therefore June 24, 2026.
What payment methods does LIFT now support?
Following the update, customers booking directly with LIFT can choose from several payment options, including:
- Debit and credit cards
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Cryptocurrency through Ozow
- Payment plans through RCS and PayU
- Mobicred financing
- 1Voucher
- LIFT Wallet
The expanded payment stack is intended to give customers greater flexibility when booking flights online.
LIFT said the decision followed changing consumer behaviour, with more travellers adopting digital wallets and alternative payment methods.
LIFT becomes an early crypto adopter in South African aviation
The addition places LIFT among a small group of African airlines experimenting with cryptocurrency-enabled payments.
The airline is particularly highlighting the combination of crypto payments, Apple Pay and Google Pay within its direct booking platform.
LIFT said it had become the first South African airline to offer both Apple Pay and Google Pay directly through its website across desktop and mobile.
The airline did not claim that it was the first South African carrier ever to process any form of cryptocurrency payment.
That distinction matters because other African and South African aviation companies may have previously tested crypto-related payment services, promotional arrangements or indirect integrations.
LIFT’s strongest confirmed claim is that it now offers the three payment categories together as part of its direct online checkout.
Why LIFT added more payment options
LIFT Chief Commercial Officer Cilliers Jordaan said South African customers were increasingly adopting payment methods that prioritise speed, security and convenience.
The airline said the uptake of its existing LIFT Wallet showed that customers valued flexibility and control when making travel bookings.
Expanding the payment ecosystem was therefore presented as a natural extension of the airline’s digital strategy.
The move also reflects a broader change in online commerce, where businesses are offering several checkout options rather than relying only on bank cards.
Customers increasingly expect to pay using mobile wallets, account-to-account payment systems, instalment products and digital assets.
For an airline, reducing payment friction may help prevent customers from abandoning a booking before completing checkout.
Which cryptocurrencies can customers use?
LIFT’s announcement did not provide a complete list of supported cryptocurrencies.
The available assets may depend on Ozow’s third-party crypto provider, the user’s wallet and the payment options displayed during checkout.
Customers should therefore confirm the available currencies when making a booking rather than assuming that every cryptocurrency is accepted.
The final payment amount may also be affected by:
- Conversion rates
- Network fees
- Wallet fees
- Payment-provider charges
- Price movement before confirmation
Cryptocurrency values can change quickly. Customers should review the quoted amount and any associated fees before approving a payment.
Does LIFT hold the cryptocurrency?
There is no indication in the announcement that LIFT intends to hold cryptocurrency as a treasury asset.
The use of Ozow suggests that the airline is primarily adopting crypto as a customer payment method rather than as a long-term financial strategy.
This is an important distinction.
A company can allow customers to pay using Bitcoin, stablecoins or other digital assets without retaining those assets.
A payment processor can convert the cryptocurrency and settle the merchant in local currency, reducing the merchant’s exposure to price volatility.
This model allows conventional businesses to serve crypto users without building their own wallet, custody and blockchain-compliance infrastructure.
What happens when a crypto booking is refunded?
LIFT did not publicly explain how refunds for cryptocurrency-funded bookings would be calculated.
Customers should check the payment and booking terms before completing a crypto purchase.
Possible refund arrangements could include:
- Returning the original cryptocurrency amount
- Returning the fiat value paid at the time of booking
- Returning the current fiat value at the time of refund
- Providing a LIFT Wallet credit
- Refunding through the original payment provider
Because cryptocurrency prices fluctuate, the amount returned in digital assets could differ significantly in value from the original booking amount.
Refund and reversal procedures may also be influenced by Ozow and its third-party crypto payment partners.
Travellers should understand these terms before choosing crypto for a ticket that may later need to be changed or cancelled.
