The sun is out, school is out, and summer vacation season is in full swing. Whether you’re planning a trip to Paris for the 2024 Olympics or preferring a staycation in Seattle, mobile payments can make your travels smoother and safer.
According to Visa, digital wallets have become a crucial part of the travel experience for many, with 74% of U.S. travelers now using them on their trips.
Air travelers can scan their mobile boarding passes at most U.S. and international airports. New Yorkers can also use their mobile driver’s license for identity verification at JFK and LaGuardia Airports, as well as at 26 other airports where TSA has credential authentication technology units. Other states offering digital IDs include Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, and Utah.
Upon reaching your destination, mobile payments make getting around via public transit easier and more convenient in cities like Chicago, London, Lyon, New York, Singapore, Vancouver, and soon Boston. In Paris, visitors can add their Navigo card to the Apple Wallet or Samsung Wallet to ride the metro, train, and bus as they explore the French capital. Similarly, tourists and commuters in Seattle can now add their ORCA card to Google Wallet for travel around Puget Sound.
Travelers can also collect extra loyalty rewards when using mobile payments while on the road. Caffeine lovers can earn additional Starbucks Rewards Stars, Marriott Bonvoy points, and Delta Sky Miles by linking their loyalty accounts. Additionally, travelers can use their mobile phones as their room keys at some hotels. Guests staying at Strawberry’s Clarion Post Hotel in Sweden can add an NFC mobile hotel key to Google Wallet or Apple Wallet and tap to unlock their room. Once the guest checks out, the key is automatically deactivated. Hilton and other hotels offer mobile room keys using Bluetooth technology.
Contrary to popular belief, mobile payments are more secure than card payments. Mobile and digital wallets leverage tools such as tokenization and biometrics to protect card account data and provide stronger authentication. If a traveler unfortunately loses their mobile phone or card while on vacation, they can immediately block their mobile wallet and request a replacement card.
Visa recently introduced a new Digital Emergency Card Replacement service that promptly delivers a digital replacement card via text or email to the cardholder, who can authenticate and add the new card into a digital wallet upon receipt. We’ve all felt that moment of panic while on vacation—the loss of a card and the feeling of being stranded,” said Kathleen Pierce-Gilmore, global head of Issuing Solutions at Visa in an article. Visa’s new service allows issuers to offer instant, secure access to funds for their customers when they travel.
Spend more time making memories with your family and friends this summer, and less time waiting in lines to pay for food, souvenirs, transportation, and other purchases. Digital payments improve your vacationing experience and peace of mind.
