Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone to be used for in-flight purchases of drinks and more

The next time you order a drink or snacks on a flight, a flight attendant might raise an iPhone to your face and politely ask you to pay. If you don’t have cash, it doesn’t matter: the flight attendant’s iPhone will act as a payment terminal to accept your contactless payment.

This is the case if you are flying Alaska Airlines in the (very) near future. Alaska Airlines will adopt Apple’s Tap to pay on iPhone for in-flight purchases – this feature turns the iPhone into a contactless payment terminal (via 9to5Mac)!

In a Press release, Alaska Airlines says travelers will be able to pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, contactless cards or any other contactless payment method. This “will be deployed on certain flights and will be available across our entire fleet in the coming months,” they say.

Tap to Pay on iPhone was first announced by Apple in February 2022 as a way to turn iPhones into contactless payment terminals. Since then, the feature has gradually expanded to other countries around the world.

“Whether you’re on your way to a festive vacation or returning home after a long business trip, this onboard drink always hits the spot. Soon on your next flight, you’ll be able to pay for your booze or snack pack with a tap from your iPhone or Apple Watch to pay with Apple Pay, another digital wallet, or contactless credit or debit card – more need to slide! “, we read in the press release.