Bangladesh Bank has expanded the rules governing international card payments for airline tickets, allowing eligible Bangladeshi residents to purchase airfares directly from foreign airlines operating in Bangladesh.
Under a circular issued on 28 September, residents holding valid visas for overseas travel can use international cards to purchase eligible airline tickets. The revised policy updates instructions previously issued by the central bank in November 2025.
Previously, the facility was primarily linked to transactions settled through an authorised dealer (AD) bank in Bangladesh. Under the revised arrangement, eligible transactions can also be processed through the international acquiring and payment systems of foreign airlines outside Bangladesh.
The expanded facility covers 17 foreign airlines operating in Bangladesh. AD banks will identify eligible transactions using the respective airlines’ merchant category codes (MCCs).
One of the key changes concerns the treatment of qualifying airline ticket payments.
Eligible purchases made under the new arrangement will not be counted against the cardholder’s annual international travel entitlement. After verifying a transaction, the concerned bank may restore the equivalent amount to the customer’s international card balance, subject to the terms agreed between the bank and the cardholder.
This means eligible travellers may receive greater flexibility when using international cards to purchase tickets directly from participating foreign airlines.
Banks will remain responsible for verifying eligible transactions and ensuring compliance with Bangladesh Bank’s requirements.
AD banks must also submit details of the relevant transactions to Bangladesh Bank through the prescribed reporting system.
The revised arrangement is expected to make international air-ticket purchases more convenient for Bangladeshi travellers, particularly those booking flights directly through foreign airlines’ websites and international payment platforms.
Business representatives have welcomed the change, saying it could simplify online ticket purchases and reduce the need for foreign airlines to maintain separate local payment-acquiring arrangements in Bangladesh.
The move also reflects the growing use of international online payment systems for airline bookings and could provide travellers with greater flexibility when arranging overseas journeys.
