Afterpay’s PLAY: the new buy now pay later for travel

It’s no secret Aussies love  Afterpay, so much so the popular buy now pay later service has united with travel site LayAway Travel to create the ultimate interest free repayment option for travel expenses.

Saving for an overseas trip can be a long and gruelling process for many people, and using a credit card to pay for a holiday can also stack up when it comes to accumulating interest. So, with PLAY, you can simply book things like flights, accommodation and experiences, (and potentially snag one of their awesome deals) then pay them back interest-free in weekly or fortnightly instalments.

Work hard, PLAY hard?

There’s nothing hard about PLAY, from signing up, to booking your travel to making regular repayments, it’s all easy. Here’s everything you need to know about this buy now and pay later option for all things travel. 

Signing up

To get yourself up and running towards some great travel deals, you have to create a PLAY account before you start making bookings on the website. They’ll need your personal information, like name, date of birth, mobile number and email, and the details of the card you’ll be linking to the account. Once you have been approved, you are set to go and can start booking!

For existing Afterpay customers, you cannot use your Afterpay account for PLAY, you will need to set up a separate PLAY account. However, keep in mind that PLAY may look at your Afterpay account as an indication of your repayment habits - so if you have outstanding Afterpay payments you could risk your PLAY application being denied.

Booking a holiday

PLAY offers holiday packages on their site, which combine flights, accommodation and experiences, many of which have limited-time offers that could help you save. There is a huge range of destinations and adventures on the PLAY website both in Australia and overseas, from the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour to Mount Everest in Kathmandu.

Because some of the travel packages can be over $2,000 in value, there are no specific spending limits when you use PLAY. Packages are usually available for 2 to 3 week periods, but prices and trip lengths vary depending on where and when you’re going.  

Making repayments

Just like Afterpay, making repayments with PLAY is straightforward and painless, as long as you don’t miss any of your instalments. You are able to pay back your travel expenses in weekly or fortnightly instalments completely interest free, and there is also a ‘top up’ payment option is you want to make extra repayments on top of your required ones.

PLAY has a few different rules to Afterpay though. Because PLAY is designed specifically for travel expenses like accommodation and flights, the maximum number of instalments is higher than that of Afterpay, as it ranges from 2 to 12 months. Each instalment limit is outlined on the individual travel packages purchased and which must all be made before you leave.

An important thing to note is that there is a $7 late fee on missed instalments, however there is a cap of $35 in total. Also, there is a cancellation fee of $55 if you decide to change your travel plans and you could potentially forfeit any non-refundable travel purchases you’ve already made.

A few quick questions about PLAY…

Can I trust PLAY over other travel booking services?

You can rest easy knowing that PLAY is in the hands of award-winning professionals as LayAway are with the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) and since 2015 have been an Australian Travel Accreditation Scheme (ATAS) holder who offer pay-by-instalment services.  

Which holidays can I choose from on the PLAY website?

It’s up to you which holiday package you choose on the PLAY website. Keep it local and travel to some of Australia’s hot spots like Byron Bay or the Gold Coast, or go international with a tropical holiday to Fiji or head to California with a Disneyland Adventure package. Your options are endless.

Does PLAY provide travel insurance?

PLAY doesn’t provide travel insurance on their holiday packages.

They do, however, offer complimentary pre-trip cancellation insurance, included in all bookings. The insurance covers unforeseen events that occur prior to your departure that may inhibit you from going, like injury or illness. It does not cover you if you change your mind - you must pay the $55 cancellation fee.

For travel insurance options, check out our travel insurance hub for useful guides and tips on the best provider for your trip!  

Will I receive my travel documents when I book?

You should receive all your travel documents, like flight tickets, 2 weeks before you are due to depart. Keep in mind that this is only in the case that you’ve made all your required payments for your selected travel package.  

PLAY is still in a trial period, and are working with their current customers to further develop their travel booking platform.

RELATED: Love Afterpay? Here are all the traps you should know about

Love buy now pay later? Check out our useful guide to find the right one for you or jump over to our fintech hub for all your digital payment options.