FinTech

London FinTech Zilch has launched a new app feature allowing users to pay for holidays, hotels and flights via a partnership with lastminute.com.

Customers can earn up to 3% back in rewards on their travel bookings or can opt to spread the cost of their trip with interest-free payments over six weeks or three months.

Zilch is leveraging AI to unlock the full potential of four years of first-party consumer data and drive precise, personalised offerings. It says a deep understanding of users’ needs allows it to convert sales better than any online platform.

The FinTech payments innovator of the world’s first ad-subsidised payments network (ASPN), says figures show a 140% YoY growth in travel spending, which is a contributing factor to the production of Zilch Travel.

The news comes four months after Zilch announced the appointment of former Aviva and AIA CEO, Mark Wilson, to its board.

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Philip Belamant, CEO and co-founder of Zilch, said: “Partnering with lastminute.com, a pioneer in online travel, marks an exciting step forward as we launch Zilch Travel. In 2025, travel is no longer a luxury – it’s a professional and family priority.

“Zilch Travel is designed to give our customers what they’ve been asking for, three years into an unprecedented cost-of-living squeeze: the convenience, security, and flexibility to design and pay for their trips seamlessly within the regulated app they trust to manage their money.”

Alessandro Petazzi, CEO of lastminute.com, added: “By investing in flexible financial solutions and leveraging our technology to enhance customers’ travel experience, we can unlock a world of possibilities for holidaymakers.

“We’re delighted to partner with one of the UK’s leading fintech companies by powering their new Zilch Travel service.”

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