Otherwise, it's generally best to not get yourself into debt just to take a spontaneous vacation. Using Uplift could be a great option if you have to take a last-minute emergency trip. Related: 13 expenses that you should not put on your credit card Bottom line Oh, and if you're curious: flights booked with Uplift will still earn miles like any other flight. Splitting a travel expense up into monthly payments may be attractive to some travelers, even if it means paying interest and other fees. Leisure travel is recovering after being put on pause during the coronavirus pandemic. It depends on what interest rate you're quoted for and how soon you expect to pay the loan back.Īt the same time, it's easy to see why airlines are adding Uplift as a payment method now. However, you may be better off putting it on a credit card that has 0% or a low APR rate to avoid unnecessary interest charges. If you do take advantage of Uplift's payment option, then you'll want to pay it off as soon as you can to avoid accumulating interest. For instance, if you have to book a last-minute emergency flight and can't swing the cost then this could be an option worth exploring. However, there are certain situations where it's out of our control and having an option like this can save the day. (Photo by Rawpixel/Getty Images)Īs a general rule of thumb, it's not the best idea to buy something you can't afford. Related: 5 personal finance strategies that will help you to travel more this year Does it make sense to finance travel with Uplift?Īs a general rule, it's best to avoid going into debt. You'll also be asked to pay a downpayment when you first open your loan. Thankfully, Uplift has confirmed that origination fees are not charged on Southwest bookings.

This fee varies based on your loan and doesn't look to be charged on all loans. You may be subject to a loan origination fee on some Uplift loans too. For example, Carnival Cruises is currently offering 0% promotional loans on cruises with $0 down. It's unclear when the company offers a 0% interest rate, but I suspect this is reserved for special limited-time offers. At the high-end, this is an incredibly high interest rate that's more than most credit cards. Unlike carrying a balance on a credit card, Uplift only charges interest on the purchase, not the interest incurred over the life of the loan.Īccording to Uplift's website, APR can range between 0% and 36%. Uplift charges simple interest on all bookings, and - as discussed - your rate depends on your credit profile. As you'd expect, the most obvious expense is your interest. There are a few costs associated with using Uplift to pay for your travel. Related: 6 simple rules to stay out of credit card debt costs associated with Uplift The website states that loan applications are processed immediately and that checking loan eligibility doesn't affect credit, so it's likely a soft credit pull. The loan application asks for basic information like your address, income and last-four of your Social Security Number. Uplift can be used on purchases of $100 or more. You'll see a 'pay monthly' option at the check-out screen where you can quickly apply for an Uplift loan. Head to Southwest's website, enter your desired itinerary and continue through the booking process as usual. It's always great to have more payment options, but there's a question on all our minds: is taking out a loan for travel a good idea? Here, I'll show you how Uplift works when booking airline tickets and the costs associated with using the service.įor more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

It also has partnerships with a handful of online travel agencies, cruise lines and resorts.

The service is currently available for a number of airlines, including Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, Air Canada, Frontier, Spirit, United and others. The service's main focus is making travel more attainable for some by offering monthly payment options when purchasing flights. (Previously, this service was only available on Southwest Vacations packages.) Last week, Southwest Airlines became the latest carrier to offer travelers the option to book flights now and pay later with the travel finance services company, Uplift.

Monthly payments for flights