The Only US Airlines That Let You Book Now And Pay Later

Flying can be expensive, especially for large families wanting to go on even short domestic flights. Around 27% of Americans are believed to be $400 away from bankruptcy, meaning that many more cannot afford to make large lump-sum payments without busting their budgets. Those who must or desire to travel, however, now have the option of using financing options, and this is how many Gen Zers have been affording to travel. These include services like Affirm or FlexPay, which partner directly with airlines, or third-party services like Klarna, Sezzle, or PayPal's buy-now, pay-later function. Virtually every major American carrier offers these plans, and even ones like JetBlue, which don't seem to have an official partner, can be financed with third-party apps.

Obviously, before borrowing money, buyers should be aware of things like interest, late penalties (if any), and the consequences of missing payments. Usually,  for options offered directly from airlines, this comes in the form of interest and a hit to the credit score if the payment is not made within a grace period. For airlines that offer these through credit cards, the penalties may involve steep interest charges applied to credit card accounts carrying revolving balances. Remember, if you choose an interest-bearing option, you are paying more over time than you would if you were to pay it off upfront. If you miss payments or have to extend the plan, these interest charges can snowball. Thus, make sure you can actually pay it off in the agreed-upon time frame and pay early if you can.

American Airlines offers two principal financing options. The first is Affirm, which travelers can use to split their payment into installments. The principal and cheapest option is the four-installment option. If paid off in full in the timeframe given, the flight purchase doesn't accrue interest. Any longer loans, which come in three, six, nine, 12, or even longer installments, will accrue interest ranging from 0 to 36% APR, depending on factors like the applicant's credit score and loan amount. While borrowers should keep an eye out for interest, which can be a brutal hit if payments are missed, the good part is that it is simple interest rather than compound interest. This means that the interest will only accrue on the principal (the balance remaining on the purchase) — you will not be paying interest on any interest that has already accrued. There are no late fees. This option only applies to flights, not extras such as checked luggage fees.

AAdvantage Citi credit card holders can use the Citi Flex Pay option. Cardholders can opt to break up flights in excess of $75 into installments. The advantages of this option are that there is no interest in the flight purchase in itself. Instead, the installment payments show up as charges on your monthly credit card statement. As long as you make your statement payments in full every month, this is a great way to avoid the interest trap while staying on a budget. There is also no early payment penalty.

Delta is a little different situation from most other airlines. You generally cannot pay for a Delta flight alone with a financing option like Affirm. However, you can pay for packages on Delta Vacations that include flights using Affirm. This means that you must buy a package deal — for instance, a car-and-hotel or a flight-and-hotel. The terms are the same as other airlines (although a down payment may be required), with an interest rate of up to 30% for long plans, or a four-installment deal, interest-free. Again, this depends on credit score, credit history, and loan amount. Borrowers have up to 24 months to pay off the loan, while those who are refused can call Delta for other payment options. There are no late fees or hidden charges. With new routes and higher tiers coming in 2026, Delta might be an excellent option for those who want package deals on a budget.

For American Express cardholders (regardless of whether it is a Delta-branded SkyMiles card), there is the Plan It feature. Any Delta flight over $100 is eligible for this feature, although any additional perks and fees like seats, checked bags, and upgrades must be paid upfront. However, if the traveler is using a Delta-branded card, Plan It can be combined with benefits such as free checked bags. Instead of paying interest, cardholders will pay a fixed monthly fee in addition to the installment payment. It cannot be retroactively applied, either.

Alaska Airlines has partnered with FlexPay to allow travelers to break up payments into installments, although a down payment may be required for some borrowers. Under FlexPay, travelers get a quick credit check at checkout and are offered an installment plan within minutes. There are no late fees, no surprise or hidden fees, or anything of that sort — the price that is given on the screen is what you are responsible for paying as long as payments are made in full and on time. There are no early payment penalties. FlexPay can only be used at checkout when purchasing a ticket, meaning it cannot be applied to ancillary items separately from the ticket. If you buy a ticket and select your seat all at once, however, it appears to be rolled into a FlexPay plan, although this is unclear.

The one place to be careful is the interest. Interest rates range from 0 to 36% APR, but are based on simple interest rather than compound interest. For low-income borrowers or people who might expect to face financial distress, this is something to look out for. Even though there are no late fees, interest will continue to accrue on any missed payments, and borrowers are responsible for what they borrowed until it is paid off. Thus, think carefully before you decide whether you should take advantage of such an offer. The loan does not need to be paid off before travel, although you do need to allow a few days after purchase to process payment.

Southwest, famous for its open seating that will go through changes in 2026, also uses FlexPay as its go-to buy-now, pay-later plan. The terms are the same as Alaska Airlines, with borrowers getting a credit check at checkout and being given a plan between 0% and 36% APR. You are not required to pay off your loan to travel, and there are no late fees — just interest, which is included as part of the monthly payment unless you are late. Southwest also offers PayPal as an option at checkout through the PayPal buy-now, pay-later option. 

United Airlines uses FlexPay as well for those wishing to pay in installments, but the conditions are slightly more stringent. APRs are the same, ranging from 0 to 36%, and there are no late fees or early payment penalties, and as usual, interest is part of the monthly payment. However, travelers can only use FlexPay if the purchase exceeds $49. When it comes to United Vacations, however, there are other options, although again, travelers need to be careful and determine whether a dream vacation is worth the cost of installments. Apart from FlexPay, reservations on United Vacations can be paid for by placing a $250 deposit on the total price per person. You will then be required to pay down the rest at least 46 days before your departure date by credit card. In order to qualify for this, vacations must be booked at least six months in advance. Furthermore, the option's availability depends on the cost of the vacation, although United does not give a minimum amount on its FAQ page.

If you, for whatever reason, need to plan ahead on Spirit, despite the airline's reputation for cheaper last-minute fares, Spirit Airlines' FlexPay plan has a few notable differences for travelers. Although APR is still the same — 0% to 36% — new members of the Saver$ Club can sign up for a 0% APR deal on Spirit flights. This offer only applies to "qualified applicants" and requires the borrower to commit to a three-month repayment plan. Like United, Spirit has a minimum purchase amount to qualify for Flexpay — $48. There are no late fees or early payment penalties, and interest is included in the monthly payment.

In addition, there are two more specifics to look out for regarding FlexPay on the FAQ page. To qualify for FlexPay, the person paying must be a traveler on a flight — you cannot finance a flight on someone else's behalf. Secondly, you cannot change the due dates of payments, but you get a 15-day grace period before a missed payment goes on your credit score. Interest, however, will continue to accrue over that grace period regardless.

Allegiant Air's FlexPay partnership allows travelers to pay off their flights in installments over either three months or 12 months. The APR is the same — 0-% to 36% — and there are no late fees or early payment penalties, with a $49 minimum purchase amount. Interest is included in the monthly payment, assuming all payments arrive on time. Allegiant also appears to allow buyers to pay with PayPal's buy-now, pay-later option. Under this plan, you would make a 25% down payment and pay the rest off in three subsequent installments. Although the airline does not advertise this anywhere on its payment options page, it is available as a checkout option once one selects a flight.

JetBlue's only buy-now, pay-later option listed on the company website at purchase is PayPal, which only seems to be visible upon completing a purchase of a ticket. There are no details, but according to PayPal's website, flights can be paid for over four installments as mentioned previously, or payment plans over three, six, 12, or 24 months. However, the company does not seem to have any official partnerships with buy-now, pay-later services like Affirm or FlexPay.

Sun Country Airlines has FlexPay as an option for financing, but doesn't give many specifics. Travelers will provide the usual info for a credit check — name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, immigration status, and such. However, the site does not mention the exact interest rates or terms and conditions of these loans, saying only that some plans come with interest-free loans while others are interest-bearing. Aside from that, all it says is that payments contain no surprises, similar to other airlines.

Frontier Airlines uses FlexPay as well, with terms and conditions that are fairly similar to those of airlines like United. Frontier has the usual 0% to 36% APR, decided according to credit score and other factors. The minimum purchase price for eligibility for a loan is $49, but as with other airlines, there is no guarantee of approval. Otherwise, the usual benefits of no late fees or surprise, hidden fees apply. What you see is what you pay.

While most airlines have only one or two official buy-now, pay-later partners, there are other ways to take advantage of these offers should you need them. Some third-party booking sites accept services like Klarna, Sezzle, FlyFairly, and others. For instance, booking website Alternative Airlines allows you to use a number of these services. For Americans, these include Klarna, Sezzle, Afterpay, and PayPal. The list will look different depending on the buyer's country of residence.

Sometimes, you can also book directly on the page of the buy-now, pay-later service. For instance, you can browse airfares on a travel agency like Expedia or directly on airline websites through Klarna, and then use the Klarna app to book them. This will allow you to access the option to break up the payments (usually four installments), something you would not be able to do if booking directly with an airline. APR varies for all services depending on the length of the payment plan and the amount owed.

Finally, there are payment plans through credit cards. For instance, American Express offers Plan It, which allows cardholders to pay off purchases of $100 or more over time for a fixed fee. Citi Flex Pay can be used for eligible purchases over $75 on Citi Travel. Under these terms, you pay over 12 months with no fees or interest. Chase allows you to use its Pay Over Time plan for purchases of $100 or more.

The article takes "airlines offering BNPL options" to mean plans offered directly by the airline. That means it must be available at checkout when buying directly from the airline's website. For most, this means Flexpay or PayPal, as these companies tend to have official partnerships with airlines. However, since there are numerous ways to finance flights through third parties, these have also been included, although they are not airline-specific and are not officially supported by the airline. This list also does not include subsidiaries of major carriers.