Travel Agency Payment Processing in 2026: Merchant Accounts, Reserves and Future-Delivery Risk
Travel agencies can obtain merchant accounts, but approval depends on more than projected sales. This 2026 guide explains MCC 4722, future-delivery exposure, merchant-of-record models, seller-of-travel requirements, reserves, secure checkout options and the documents underwriters review.
The Spirit Airlines Liquidation: A Systemic Wake-Up Call for High-Risk Travel Payments
On May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines ceased all operations, leaving 1.8 million seats cancelled and exposing a massive "shadow liability" in travel payments. This collapse isn't just a corporate failure, it's a systemic wake-up call regarding future delivery risk, the hidden danger of processing payments today for services rendered months away.
Explore how systemic failures across airlines and cruises impact payment risk, and learn how to navigate the tightening 2026 Visa VAMP compliance thresholds to protect your high-ticket business from the next wave of volatility.