Big news for Egyptian travellers! Wego is thrilled to announce that we are now a fully-licensed local merchant in Egypt.
What does this mean for your bookings? All flight and hotel reservations made through Wego in Egypt are now processed right here, domestically. You’ll see prices clearly displayed and be charged in Egyptian Pounds (EGP) – the exact amount you see at checkout is the exact amount you’ll pay, with absolutely no hidden costs or surprise currency conversion fees.
This significant development is set to transform the travel booking experience, offering users a more streamlined, transparent, and cost-effective way to book flights and hotels directly through the Wego platform.
Why this matters for Egyptian travellers
Travellers in Egypt have long faced challenges when booking through cross-border online travel agencies (OTAs). These include the rejection of local debit cards, surprise foreign-transaction fees, and high card-decline rates. Wego’s localised payment model directly addresses these issues:
- MEEZA cards accepted: All MEEZA debit cards, even those not co-branded with Visa or Mastercard, are now accepted.
- No foreign transaction Fees: Payments are processed locally, eliminating extra bank charges.
- Higher approval rates: Transactions are approved more easily as they are treated as local by issuers.
- Bypass spending caps: High-value ticket purchases no longer hit cross-border card usage limits.
- Expanded card support: Domestic merchant ID enables support for more card types.
- Transparent pricing: Users pay exactly what they see, in EGP, with no FX mark-ups.
Strategic and regulatory impact
Wego is one of the first major metasearch/OTA platforms to bring its payment operations fully onshore in Egypt, with our payment ecosystem now fully integrated with Egypt’s financial infrastructure. This shift aligns with the Central Bank of Egypt’s efforts to curb outbound foreign exchange leakage and promote local transaction processing.
The company’s acquiring, settlement, and fraud-management processes are based in Egypt and comply with the Central Bank of Egypt’s regulations. This complete end-to-end local approach not only ensures faster and more reliable transactions but also significantly enhances trust and transparency for our users.
Beyond consumer benefits, this move also serves as a catalyst for financial inclusion. Travellers with modest credit limits or those previously hindered by rejected transactions can now access seamless Wego booking options for even high-value travel purchases.
By integrating with local payment providers and banking institutions, Wego is actively contributing to the growth of Egypt’s fintech ecosystem. This strategic localisation not only differentiates Wego from competitors who continue to route payments abroad but also strengthens the company’s commitment to the Egyptian market.
Egyptian travellers can now look forward to a more affordable, reliable, and transparent booking experience, powered entirely from within Egypt.
Book Cheap Flights to Egypt on Wego
