Foreign travellers can now use Apple Pay to make mobile payments whilst on holiday by using Cash Passport, Thomas Cook’s pre-paid currency card, and adding it to Apple Wallet.
Apple Pay offers an easy, secure and convenient way to make purchases on holiday using Thomas Cook’s Cash Passport, while keeping on top of spending by paying in the currency loaded on the card. Apple Pay is easy to set up and Cash Passport customers will be able to make payments using their iPhone or Apple Watch, in shops and restaurants displaying either the Apple Pay or contactless logos, without the need to travel with large amounts of cash.
Thomas Cook is one of the first UK Multi-currency travel card providers to offer Apple Pay on its prepaid currency card, as it seeks innovative ways to help customers spend more wisely while on holiday. Thomas Cook’s recent Holiday Report identified that despite more than one in three British holidaymakers using their regular credit and debit cards abroad, half do not know how much they will be charged. This lack of awareness is resulting in consumers spending over £100m on charges every year. By combining the ease and accessibly of the Thomas Cook Cash Passport with the familiarity and security of Apple Pay, Thomas Cook hopes to make spending abroad easier to manage for its customers.
James Done, Head of Commercial for Thomas Cook Financial Services said
“We’re delighted to integrate Apple Pay to our Cash Passport, making it easier and safer to make payments on holiday without the added hassle of carrying large amounts of cash.
Our customers’ spending habits on holiday are still very different to how they are at home. Two in three British holidaymakers say they like to take all the money they’ll spend abroad in cash and over one in three also use their usual debit card on holiday, so there is a huge opportunity for our customers to be more secure and to save time by using our Cash Passportâ€
Apple Pay is easy to set up and users will continue to receive all of the rewards and beneï¬ts offered by credit and debit cards. In stores, Apple Pay works with iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later, as well as the Apple Watch.
You can find out more about the Thomas Cook Cash Passport and Apple Pay integration on their website.
Do you use pre-paid currency cards when travelling abroad? Do you think the ability to use them with Apple Pay and similar payment apps is useful? Let us know in the comments below.
Cash is still king in many popular foreign destinations, but the number of them accepting contactless payments is slowly growing, so they should become more useful.