XRP Payments On Air China Flights? Webus Partnership Brings Cryptocurrency Closer To Everyday Travel

Air China Partners With Webus To Explore XRP Payments For 60 Million Phoenixmiles Members

Air China has signed a strategic deal with Webus International Limited to bring digital currency into its loyalty programme.

Through Webus’s travel brand Wetour, passengers and PhoenixMiles members could soon access premium airport transfers and chauffeur services with the option to pay in Ripple’s XRP.

The collaboration holds the potential to reach more than 60 million travellers worldwide, though its actual rollout depends on regulatory approval.

What XRP Brings To The Travel Experience

Webus and Air China are exploring ways to integrate Ripple technology into PhoenixMiles, aiming to allow payments, tokenised rewards, and blockchain-backed vouchers.

Supporters believe this could reshape how loyalty benefits are managed and redeemed.

Faster settlements and reduced transaction costs are being positioned as major gains, with the system potentially extending rewards beyond Air China’s ecosystem.

Nan Zheng, CEO of Webus International Limited, said,

“This collaboration with Air China, with the potential to reach more than 60 million members and passengers, not only expands Wetour’s global service footprint but also accelerates our vision of building a Ripple-integrated travel ecosystem.”

Regulation Remains The Deciding Factor

Both companies have highlighted that regulatory clearance is central to the project.

Without it, the integration of XRP into PhoenixMiles cannot progress.

The aviation and payments sectors remain under close government scrutiny, and any expansion of cryptocurrency use in travel services will need to comply with cross-border financial rules.

For Webus and Air China, this compliance is not just a formality but the deciding factor for success.

XRP Market On A Volatile Ride

The partnership comes as XRP trades around $2.84, with a market capitalisation of roughly $169.2 billion.

The asset has seen sharp swings, with a 35.79% rise over the past three months but a 4.58% drop in the past week.

For investors and industry players, these fluctuations highlight the risks and opportunities of linking a loyalty programme to a volatile digital asset.

Could Tokenised Rewards Redefine Loyalty Programmes

Blockchain integration could mean that Air China members no longer hold points in a closed system but receive tokenised rewards with wider use.

Such a shift would open the door to multi-brand partnerships and greater flexibility in redemption.

For travellers, this could translate to a more personalised and borderless approach to loyalty, where benefits are not restricted to a single airline.

The Viability Of Crypto Payments In Travel

Coinlive views this partnership as an ambitious step that could challenge traditional loyalty systems and accelerate digital adoption in aviation.

Yet the path forward is far from certain. Regulatory scrutiny, market swings, and the readiness of mainstream travellers to embrace cryptocurrency payments will all dictate success.

The vision is bold, however, whether it matures into a functioning model or remains an experiment will depend on how well the project navigates these realities.