Emirates Adds 36 Month Instalment Payments for India Bookings

Emirates has introduced monthly instalment payments for flight bookings that originate in India, giving eligible customers a new way to divide a ticket purchase across three to 36 months. The option is now available on the airline’s India website for cards issued by 12 participating Indian banks, but the total cost depends on the bank, card, repayment period, interest rate and processing fee.

This is a financing choice rather than a fare discount. Travelers still buy the Emirates ticket online at its displayed price while the bank converts the eligible card transaction into monthly payments, so the useful decision is whether that flexibility is worth the added finance cost.

How the Emirates India instalment option works

The new option appears during an eligible purchase on the India version of the Emirates website. A customer chooses a participating bank and repayment period, then completes the purchase with an eligible card, but Emirates says processing can take as long as seven days and may not appear instantly.

The official Emirates instalment payment page says interest rates start at 11.88 percent. That is only the lowest displayed starting point, not a universal rate, because each bank sets its own available periods, interest, processing charge and card eligibility at the time of the transaction.

The participating institutions are AXIS Bank, Bank of Baroda, HDFC Bank, HSBC Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, RBL Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, State Bank of India and Yes Bank. Emirates advises customers to contact their bank before purchase because some cards or transactions may not qualify even when the issuing bank appears on the list.

Only bookings that originate in India qualify. The card must be issued by an Indian bank, the ticket must be bought through emirates.com/in, and the credit card payment path must be selected during checkout, so another national version of the Emirates site should not display the India offer.

Bank terms can change the real cost

The widest repayment period is not available from every partner. Emirates lists AXIS Bank periods from three to 24 months at 16 percent interest, while Kotak Mahindra Bank and IndusInd Bank reach 36 months with a one time INR 249 fee, and Yes Bank and Bank of Baroda reach 36 months with an indicated INR 299 fee.

Other partners have shorter ceilings. ICICI Bank offers three to 24 months at 15.99 percent with an indicated INR 299 fee, while HSBC Bank reaches 18 months at 15 percent with an INR 99 fee and HDFC Bank reaches 18 months at 16 percent with an INR 299 fee.

Standard Chartered Bank lists three to 12 months with rates starting at 11.8 percent and no processing fee on the Emirates page. IDBI Bank also lists three to 12 months with rates starting at 13 percent and no processing fee, while State Bank of India lists three to 12 months with rates starting at 15.5 percent and a processing fee that varies by period.

RBL Bank lists three to 24 months with rates starting at 13 percent and an indicated INR 199 processing fee. These displayed figures are useful for comparison, but Emirates states that the issuing bank controls the final rate, repayment period, approval and charges, making the bank’s transaction terms the controlling cost.

What travelers should compare before paying

A smaller monthly payment can make an expensive ticket look easier to absorb, but the installment total can exceed the original fare once interest and fees are included. Before approving the transaction, compare the full amount repayable with the cash ticket price and confirm whether the bank applies any tax or additional charge to its stated interest and processing fee.

India’s Reserve Bank consumer guidance points cardholders to its credit card directions for interest rates and other charges. That separate regulatory context reinforces the practical check in Emirates’ own terms: the airline supplies the booking path, but the issuing bank determines and discloses the financing cost.

Travelers should also compare the proposed repayment period with the trip date. A 24 or 36 month plan may continue long after the flight, and a later cancellation does not necessarily erase the bank obligation, while Emirates says it is not responsible for late fees or disputes about bank charges, approval or repayment periods.

Refund timing deserves a separate check before purchase. Emirates’ India guidance says card refunds can take the airline up to 30 days to process before the issuer’s posting time begins, so a traveler should ask the bank how a refund affects remaining instalments and finance charges.

Restrictions that can block the payment option

The instalment method cannot be combined with another payment method or product. Emirates specifically excludes Cash plus Miles, Emirates Store credit, international cards and split payment arrangements, so the full eligible transaction must follow the participating India card path.

Bank approval is not guaranteed. A listed bank can still decline a card or transaction based on eligibility, available credit, security checks or its own rules, so travelers should wait for both the Emirates booking and bank arrangement to be confirmed.

The purchase also remains subject to the ticket’s ordinary fare conditions. Monthly payments do not make a fare refundable, changeable or protected from a cancellation charge, so travelers should review the fare family, baggage, seat and refund rules before payment.

Deep Arrival’s Emirates guide provides broader planning details for the airline. The live Emirates booking page, India instalment page and issuing bank agreement control the actual purchase, so current terms should be checked again when money changes hands.

Decision matrix for an Emirates India booking