dLocal and Alternative Airlines Partner to Expand Flight BNPL Options Across Emerging Markets

Cross-border payment platform dLocal (NASDAQ: DLO) has partnered with Alternative Airlines to integrate Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) capabilities across several emerging markets. This collaboration addresses a critical friction point for fintech professionals: the significant gap between rising outbound travel demand and low credit card penetration in regions where high-ticket airfare remains difficult to finance.

What was announced

The partnership centers on the implementation of BNPL Fuse, a dLocal solution that aggregates various local BNPL providers through a single API integration and a unified contract. This setup allows Alternative Airlines, a global flight search and booking platform, to offer localized installment options without the operational burden of negotiating individual agreements with multiple regional lenders. Initially, the integration focuses on Addi in Colombia and Pagaleve in Brazil, two prominent local BNPL providers.

The move is specifically designed to cater to consumer habits in emerging markets, such as Brazil’s "parcelado" system, where splitting purchases into monthly installments accounts for over 50% of credit card spending. However, with only 10-15% of consumers in these markets owning a credit card, the BNPL Fuse model provides a necessary alternative for the unbanked or underbanked. For the merchant, the system ensures they receive full payment immediately while dLocal and its partners manage the underlying payment risk.

The current scope of the BNPL Fuse network reaches over 500 million potential buyers across eight countries. Looking ahead, the two companies have stated plans to build on this foundation by expanding into Chile, Pakistan, and various markets across Asia and Africa. These regions are characterized by a mismatch where the desire for international travel is growing faster than the adoption of traditional credit products.

"BNPL Fuse lets us bring that same flexibility to markets where a credit card was never part of the equation, without having to build a relationship with every local lender ourselves."

Sam Argyle, Managing Director at Alternative Airlines.

The companies involved

dLocal is a leading cross-border payment platform listed on the NASDAQ (DLO). The company specializes in connecting global enterprise merchants with billions of consumers in emerging markets across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. By providing a single platform that handles local payments, dLocal removes the complexity of fragmented regulatory and financial landscapes for international businesses.

Alternative Airlines is a global flight search and booking site that provides travelers with access to flights from over 600 airlines. The company differentiates itself by focusing on payment flexibility, offering a wide array of localized payment methods to make travel more accessible to a global audience.

The partnership also involves Addi, a fintech company providing Buy Now, Pay Later services in Colombia, and Pagaleve, which offers similar interest-free installment solutions in the Brazilian market. These local providers are essential to the dLocal ecosystem, as they possess the specific underwriting and consumer data necessary to offer credit in their respective jurisdictions.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely tracked dLocal’s efforts to streamline merchant operations in volatile or fragmented markets. In August 2026, we covered how dLocal Launches dMoRe to Accelerate Global Merchant Expansion into Emerging Markets, a move aimed at removing operational barriers for global businesses. This was followed by news that UATP Taps dLocal to Drive Emerging Market Growth for UATP One Merchant Services, highlighting dLocal's growing influence in the aviation sector.

Alternative Airlines has also been active in expanding its financing options; we recently reported that ClarityPay and Alternative Airlines Partner to Launch Personalized Financing for Global Travelers. Additionally, dLocal’s regional strategy was underscored when ACI Worldwide and dLocal Partner to Unlock Latin American Alternative Payments for Global Merchants, further cementing their role as a bridge for Latin American commerce.

What this means

This announcement signals that BNPL is evolving from a retail "add-on" into a fundamental infrastructure requirement for the travel industry in emerging markets. The travel sector is perhaps the most logical proving ground for BNPL’s long-term viability, as the high cost of airfare creates a natural demand for credit that traditional banks have failed to meet in regions like LATAM and Southeast Asia. By aggregating local lenders into a single API, dLocal is effectively commoditizing local credit, putting significant pressure on traditional credit card schemes that rely on high fees and legacy scoring. The industry should watch whether this "aggregator" model becomes the standard for all high-ticket cross-border e-commerce.