Air Arabia Becomes First Airline to Accept Crypto Payments

Air Arabia has officially become the first airline in the Middle East to accept cryptocurrency for flight bookings.

The Sharjah-based low-cost carrier has partnered with Al Maryah Community Bank (Mbank), the UAE’s first fully integrated digital bank, to introduce AE Coin — a dirham-backed stablecoin — as a new payment method for customers.

AE Coin is the UAE’s first AED-pegged stablecoin, maintaining a 1:1 value with the UAE dirham. Developed by Mbank, AE Coin is designed to combine the benefits of blockchain technology with the price stability and regulatory transparency of traditional fiat. Through this collaboration, travelers can now use the AEC Wallet App to pay for flights on Air Arabia’s website, offering a faster and more secure alternative to card payments.

"The newly introduced payment option through AEC Wallet reflects our ongoing efforts to adopt smart solutions that bring greater value, choice and flexibility to our growing customer base," said Adel Al Ali, Group CEO of Air Arabia.

This move underscores Air Arabia’s position at the forefront of aviation innovation while advancing the UAE’s national strategy to integrate digital assets into everyday services.