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Buy Flights with Happy Pay

Choose Happy Pay Plus or Happy Pay Lite for your flights

Happy Pay selected at checkout at Alternative Airlines

Happy Pay is coming soon...

We’re getting ready to launch Happy Pay as one of our flexible payment options for South African travellers.

Once live, you’ll be able to use Happy Pay at checkout to book flights and split the cost over time, with no interest, no hidden fees and no upfront deposit required. It’s designed to make flight booking more affordable, especially for bigger trips or when you need more time to pay.

Happy Pay offers two tailored instalment plans:

  • Happy Pay Plus - Pay in 2, linked to your salary cycle, with a spending limit of up to R25,000
  • Happy Pay Lite - Pay in 3, with a soft credit check and a R7,500 limit

Both options are simple, secure and built for how South Africans actually budget. Whether you're flying locally or internationally, you'll soon have even more flexibility to book now and pay later.

Two women smiling looking at a phone. FlySafair flights paid for with Happy Pay at Alternative Airlines.

Book flights now.
Pay later with Happy Pay.

Happy Pay is a South African Buy Now Pay Later service that gives you more time to pay for your flights, without interest, fees or upfront deposits. Once available at Alternative Airlines, you’ll be able to choose a payment plan that fits your budget and salary cycle.

How Happy Pay works:

  • Happy Pay Plus: Split your cost over 2 instalments, aligned with your salary dates (up to R25,000)
  • Happy Pay Lite: Pay in 3 equal parts, with a limit of R7,500

Extras:

  • No interest or fees: You only pay the original flight cost - no surprises later
  • No deposit needed: Secure your booking without paying upfront
  • Fast approval: Get approved quickly using either banking data (Plus) or a soft credit check (Lite)
  • Automatic repayments: Instalments are collected by debit order on agreed dates

Happy Pay is designed to support flexible travel planning, especially when you're booking bigger trips or need more time to pay.

You’ll see the Happy Pay option at checkout as soon as it becomes available at Alternative Airlines.

An example payment plan with Happy Pay for JNB to CPT flights

How to use Happy Pay for flights

Once Happy Pay is available at checkout, using it to book flights will be simple:

  • Search for flights on Alternative Airlines and select the one that suits you.
  • Choose Happy Pay as your payment option at checkout.
  • Log in or sign up for a Happy Pay account. You’ll need a valid South African ID and bank account.
  • Get matched with a plan - either Pay in 2 (Happy Pay Plus) or Pay in 3 (Happy Pay Lite), depending on your profile.
  • Review and confirm your payment schedule. Your booking will be secured instantly with no deposit required.

Your flights are confirmed on the spot. Payments are collected automatically and you’ll get reminders before each one, giving you peace of mind while you focus on your trip.

To qualify for Happy Pay, you must:

18+ icon

Be at least 18 years old

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Have a valid South African ID

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Have a South African-issued Visa, debit, cheque or credit card

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Have approval through Happy Pay’s account setup

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Why use Happy Pay for flights?

Happy Pay is designed to make flight booking more flexible, especially if you’re managing a tight budget or planning a bigger trip. Here’s why it stands out:

  • Split the cost over time. Spread your flight payments across two pay periods (or three, depending on your plan).
  • No deposit needed. Secure your flight today without paying anything upfront.
  • No interest or hidden fees. You only pay the original cost of your flight when payments are made on time.
  • Tailored to South African income cycles. Happy Pay aligns with your salary dates and uses a local, salary-led approval model.
  • Works well for larger bookings. Ideal for international travel, return trips, or family holidays that need more breathing room in your budget.

Once Happy Pay is available on Alternative Airlines, it will offer a flexible, fee-free way to lock in your flights and pay later, with zero fuss!

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Choose from 600+ global airlines

When you book with Alternative Airlines and pay later with Happy Pay, you're not limited to one or two carriers. You’ll have access to flights from over 600 international and domestic airlines, all in one place.

That includes:

You can search, compare and filter flights to match your schedule, route and travel preferences, then split the cost into manageable payments with Happy Pay once it’s live.

Whether it’s a quick local hop or a long-haul adventure, you’ll be able to book the airline you want and pay later, all in one easy checkout.

Alternative Airlines e-ticket

Receive your e-tickets instantly

When you book flights through Alternative Airlines using Happy Pay, your flight is confirmed right away, even though you’re paying in instalments.

You’ll receive your e-ticket via email as soon as your booking is complete, just like any other payment method. There’s no delay, no waiting for approvals and no holding your seat until a deposit clears.

Your trip is locked in and your payment is handled securely in the background.

Trusted globally

Ready to find your perfect flights and pay later?

We’re getting ready to launch Happy Pay at checkout, so soon, you’ll be able to book your flights now and split the cost with ease. All you need to do is search for flights, and when Happy Pay goes live, paying later will be just a click away.

Trusted globally

Rated Excellent on Trustpilot

We’re super proud of our Trustpilot rating, but don’t just take it from us. See why millions of others love booking their flights through Alternative Airlines

Frequently asked questions

Is Happy Pay available at Alternative Airlines right now?

Not yet, but it’s coming soon. We’re working on integrating Happy Pay as a checkout option, so South African customers can split the cost of flights into manageable instalments.

What is Happy Pay?

Happy Pay is a South African Buy Now Pay Later service that lets you book flights and pay over time in interest-free instalments. It offers two plans:

  • Happy Pay Plus (Pay in 2)
  • Happy Pay Lite (Pay in 3)
What’s the difference between Happy Pay Plus and Happy Pay Lite?
  • Happy Pay Plus lets you split payments into two instalments aligned with your salary. It uses direct access to your banking data to assess affordability and offers a limit of up to R25,000.
  • Happy Pay Lite splits your payments into three equal parts using a soft credit check and has a limit of R7,500.
Do I need to pay a deposit when using Happy Pay?

No deposit is required. Once Happy Pay is live on Alternative Airlines, you'll be able to confirm your flight with zero upfront payment. Instalments begin after booking and are collected automatically.

Is there interest or hidden fees with Happy Pay?

As long as you pay on time, there’s no interest charged and no hidden fees. You’ll only pay the flight cost, split into equal parts.

Will I get my e-ticket straight away if I use Happy Pay?

Yes. Just like any other payment method, your booking will be confirmed instantly and your e-ticket will be emailed to you as soon as payment is processed.

What are the requirements to use Happy Pay?

You must be at least 18, live in South Africa, and have a valid South African ID, a local bank account, and a working mobile number and email.

  • Happy Pay Plus uses a salary-based model that analyses your bank data.
  • Happy Pay Lite uses a soft credit check.
Does Happy Pay do credit checks?

No. Happy Pay Plus doesn’t use credit scores at all. Happy Pay Lite runs a soft credit check, which doesn’t impact your score.

Can I use Happy Pay for international flights?

Yes. Once it’s available on Alternative Airlines, you’ll be able to use Happy Pay to book both domestic and international flights with over 600 global airlines.

How will I know when Happy Pay is available?

We’ll update this page as soon as Happy Pay is live at checkout. You can also follow us on social media to get the latest updates.

Are there alternatives to Happy Pay at Alternative Airlines?

Yes. While Happy Pay is coming soon, you can already book flights using flexible options like PayJustNow and Payflex, both available to South African customers with no interest or deposit.

Want more ways to pay? We offer over 40 payment methods at checkout, including other Buy Now Pay Later options for travellers worldwide.