Travel Agency Payments in Europe: Stripe, Klarna, Swish Compared
A breakdown of the three payment methods that matter most for European travel agencies — when to use each, and how they affect your conversion rates.
Payments Are a Conversion Lever
For travel agencies, payment is not just a backend concern — it is a conversion lever. The easier you make it for a traveler to pay, the more bookings you close. Offer only credit cards, and you lose the customer who prefers Klarna. Offer only bank transfers, and you lose the impulse buyer.
In Europe, the payment landscape is fragmented by design. Each market has its preferred methods. Understanding them is key to maximizing your booking conversion rate.
Stripe: The Foundation
Best for: Card payments, international customers, recurring billing.Stripe is the default payment infrastructure for most modern travel platforms. It handles Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and a growing list of local methods through Stripe Payment Links and Checkout. Pros:
- Accepts payments from 135+ currencies
- PCI-compliant out of the box
- Excellent developer APIs for custom integrations
- Supports 3D Secure for European SCA compliance
- Instant payouts available in many markets
- Transaction fees (typically 1.4% + €0.25 for European cards)
- Not always the preferred method for Scandinavian customers
- Requires technical setup for advanced features
Klarna: Buy Now, Pay Later for Travel
Best for: Higher-value bookings, converting hesitant buyers, Nordic and German markets.Klarna lets travelers split payments into installments or pay within 30 days — with no interest. For travel, where bookings often exceed €500, this can significantly increase conversion rates. Pros:
- Pay-in-3 and pay-in-30 options reduce purchase friction
- Klarna assumes the credit risk — you get paid immediately
- Extremely popular in Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands
- Checkout integration is smooth and trusted
- Higher merchant fees than standard card processing (typically 2.5-3.5%)
- Not available in all European markets
- Can add complexity to refund workflows
Swish: Instant Payment for Swedish Agencies
Best for: Swedish customers, fast confirmations, low-value add-ons.Swish is a mobile payment system used by over 8 million Swedes. It is instant, free for consumers, and deeply integrated into Swedish banking. For travel agencies operating in Sweden, not offering Swish is like not accepting cash ten years ago. Pros:
- Instant settlement
- Zero consumer fees — no friction
- Ubiquitous in Sweden (used by 82% of the population)
- Very low merchant fees
- Sweden only — no international reach
- Requires a Swedish bank account and Swish merchant agreement
- Not suited for high-value international transactions
The Ideal Payment Stack
For a European travel agency, the optimal payment configuration looks like this:
- Stripe as the foundation — cards, international customers, multi-currency
- Klarna for high-value bookings — installments reduce cart abandonment
- Swish for Swedish domestic — instant, trusted, zero friction
This combination covers 95%+ of European travel payment scenarios. The key is offering all three at checkout and letting the traveler choose.
How Beebus Handles This
Beebus integrates Stripe, Klarna, and Swish natively. All three payment methods appear in a single checkout flow — the traveler picks their preferred option, and the booking is confirmed in real-time.
Payment data flows directly into Beebus finance tools for automatic reconciliation, invoicing, and reporting. No manual data entry between systems. See the payment flow in action — book a demo with our team.