Yes, you can book a holiday with Clearpay in the UK — but the phrase "pay later" covers two completely different things, and knowing which one you are being offered matters more than the brand name on the button. Either you borrow from a third-party provider like Clearpay or Klarna and repay them, or you pay your travel agent in stages with no lender involved. The first is regulated credit and has been since 15 July 2026; the second is an ordinary travel deposit plan. This guide explains both, and what to check before you book.
Last verified: 15 September 2026. The rules on buy now, pay later changed in July 2026 and provider terms change regularly — check current terms before you commit.
The two ways UK travel companies let you spread the cost
| Third-party BNPL (Clearpay, Klarna) | The agent's own deposit plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you owe | The provider | Your travel agent |
| Is it credit? | Yes — regulated by the FCA since 15 July 2026 | No — a booking deposit and a payment schedule |
| Credit check | Yes, including affordability checks | No |
| Missed payment | Can be reported to credit reference agencies | The booking's own terms apply |
| Ombudsman access | Yes, for the credit agreement | Not applicable |
| Typical use | Pay for the trip now, repay over time | Secure the booking now, pay the balance before you travel |
Both are legitimate. They simply suit different people. If you want the trip paid off after you travel, third-party BNPL does that. If you would rather not take on credit at all and just need time to gather the balance, a deposit plan does that.
At Travel Orbit you can use either: Clearpay or Klarna through Fly Now Pay Later, or our own Book Now Pay Later deposit plan. T&Cs apply. Subject to status. Buy now, pay later is provided by Klarna or Clearpay. Travel Orbit is a credit broker, not a lender.
Which UK holiday companies accept Clearpay?
The honest answer is that it changes, and often. Providers and travel companies start and end partnerships regularly, so any published list — including the ones that rank well for this question — is usually out of date within months.
What works better is checking directly:
- Look for a "pay later", "payment options" or "spread the cost" page on the company's own website, and see which provider is actually named on it.
- Check whether the option covers what you are booking. Some companies offer it on package holidays but not flight-only, or above a minimum spend.
- Look for the credit-broker line. A UK company introducing you to Clearpay or Klarna should say plainly that it is a credit broker and not a lender. Its absence is a reason to ask questions.
- Ask before you pick your dates. It is much easier to arrange at the point of booking than afterwards.
What changed on 15 July 2026
This is the part most pages on this subject have not caught up with.
| Before 15 July 2026 | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | Third-party BNPL largely outside FCA regulation | Regulated as Deferred Payment Credit |
| Affordability | No requirement to check you could afford it | Provider must check before lending |
| Information | Varied by provider | Repayment schedule, amounts and any charges set out clearly before you commit |
| Complaints | Limited routes | Financial Ombudsman Service available |
The practical upshot for travellers is good: you get more information up front, and a route to complain if the agreement is handled unfairly. It also means the decision deserves the same care as any other credit agreement, because it now behaves like one — including on your credit file.
An agent's own deposit plan sits outside this, because there is no separate lender: it stays an ordinary travel payment schedule. Our full explainer covers both in more depth in how to pay for a holiday in instalments.
Does paying later change your ATOL protection?
No, and this is worth being clear about because the two things get confused.
ATOL protection covers the trip: if the company that arranged your flight or flight-inclusive holiday fails, you are refunded if you have not travelled, or flown home if you are already away. How you paid makes no difference. BNPL regulation covers the credit agreement: how you were lent the money and how you are treated as a borrower.
You can have both, and on an ATOL-protected trip paid through Clearpay you do. We explain what the protection does and does not cover in what "ATOL protected" really means.
Clearpay or Klarna: does it matter which?
For travel, the practical differences are smaller than the marketing suggests. Both are now regulated the same way, both run affordability checks, and both must set out your repayments clearly before you agree.
Where they differ is in the detail of the plans they offer, the charges that apply if you miss a payment, and how they report to credit reference agencies. Those are commercial terms that each provider sets and changes, so we deliberately do not publish figures for them here — a number that is wrong by the time you read it is worse than no number. Read what the provider shows you at checkout; by law it now has to be clear.
The one question worth asking yourself is not "which provider" but "how long am I still paying". A plan that ends a month after you fly feels very different from one still running the following summer.
What happens if you cannot make a payment?
This is the part people avoid thinking about, and the part worth planning for.
On a regulated BNPL agreement, contact the provider before the payment is due rather than after. They are required to treat customers in financial difficulty fairly, and there is usually more flexibility available in advance than afterwards. Missed payments can be reported to credit reference agencies and affect future borrowing.
On a travel agent's deposit plan, contact the agent. The balance is normally due before you travel, and what happens if it is not paid is set by the booking's own cancellation terms — which is exactly why you should read those terms at the point of booking rather than assuming.
In both cases, an early conversation gives you options. Silence removes them.
Before you commit: a short checklist
- Work out the real total. Know what you will repay in full, including any charges, before you agree.
- Check the dates line up. Repayments that run past your travel date are normal with BNPL, but make sure you are comfortable still paying for a trip you have already taken.
- Watch the balance deadline on deposit plans. With an agent's plan the balance is usually due before you travel, not after.
- Do not stack agreements. Several BNPL plans at once is the most common way people get into trouble with them.
- Keep the paperwork. Both the booking confirmation and the credit agreement.
We cannot tell you which option is right for your circumstances — that depends on your finances, and we are a travel agent, not a financial adviser. What we can do is tell you exactly what each option costs and when each payment falls due, before you decide.
Booking with Travel Orbit
Flights and flight-inclusive holidays booked with Travel Orbit are financially protected via our licensed ATOL supplier partners. We are also IATA accredited — a professional credential that allows us to issue airline tickets directly, separate from financial protection. You can read more on our about page.
Whether you are looking at a holiday package, flights home or an Umrah package, tell us your dates and which way you would prefer to pay, and we will set out the options in writing — the full cost, the deposit, and when each payment is due.
T&Cs apply. Subject to status. Buy now, pay later is provided by Klarna or Clearpay. Travel Orbit is a credit broker, not a lender.
Sources
- FCA — Buy Now Pay Later (checked 15 September 2026)
- FCA — Regulating Buy Now Pay Later (checked 15 September 2026)