Alaska Airlines and Stripe Begin Rolling Out Tap to Pay on iPhone for Easier In-Flight Payments

Stripe, a financial infrastructure platform for businesses, has announced a partnership with Alaska Airlines that introduces Tap to Pay on iPhone as the primary checkout option during a flight. Using Stripe, more than 7,000 crew members will be able to accept contactless payments for food and drinks on their airline-issued iPhone, without needing an additional card reader or terminal. Alaska Airlines will be the first airline to launch Tap to Pay on iPhone across an entire fleet.

“We are motivated to make our employees’ lives at work easier by deploying innovative technology,” said Patrick O’Brien, managing director of product development at Alaska Airlines. “Instead of navigating complex tech, they’re able to focus on providing the most caring experience for our guests. Transitioning to Tap to Pay on iPhone with the help of Stripe is creating a more seamless payments workflow—with no new devices required and an easy-to-use setup for our crew.”

Alaska Airlines provides crew members with an iPhone to manage their in-flight tasks. Before Tap to Pay on iPhone, payments could only be accepted on a separate card swiper with no option for a contactless checkout. With Stripe Terminal, flight attendants will now be able to complete purchases on the iPhone they were already using to monitor seat assignments, offer upgrades, and track dietary preferences.

“As someone who spends a lot of time in the air and always keeps their phone within reach, I’m thrilled to see Alaska Airlines roll out Tap to Pay on iPhone,” said Eileen O’Mara, chief revenue officer at Stripe. “Our partnership to introduce in-flight contactless payments keeps unnecessary hardware on the tarmac.”

Tap to Pay on iPhone is a feature of Stripe Terminal, which includes a set of APIs and SDKs supporting in-person payments with developer interfaces, card readers, and logistics management.

Under the partnership, Alaska Airlines passengers will be able to use their iPhone, Apple Watch, or another compatible smartphone to complete a purchase with their preferred digital wallet, or they can pay with any contactless debit or credit card.

Tap to Pay on iPhone is rolling out on select flights and will be available across the entire Alaska Airlines fleet in the next few months.