Payments, 3D Secure & Card Charges

Accepted payment methods include Visa and MasterCard for online card payments, plus international bank transfer and Western Union as alternatives.

• Online card: Visa or MasterCard with 3D Secure verification.
• Bank transfer: International wire to the corporate account, with no extra fee from the tour operator side.
• Cash on arrival: Available only for the remaining balance after the booking deposit.
• Western Union: Available when card or wire payment is not practical.

Cash balances can be paid in Euro, US Dollar or Turkish Lira using the daily xe.com rate. American Express and Diners Club are not accepted.

Yes. Online checkout is protected by SSL/TLS encryption and processed through the authorized bank’s 3D Secure gateway.

• Encryption: TLS 1.2+ with 128–256-bit SSL protection throughout checkout.
• 3D Secure: Your bank confirms the payment with an OTP, SMS, push notification or app approval.
• PCI environment: Card processing happens inside the bank’s PCI-DSS-certified system.
• No full card storage: Full card number and CVV are not stored on local servers; only a confirmation token is returned.

Before entering card details, check for the padlock icon and an https:// address.

3D Secure, also known through systems such as Verified by Visa or Mastercard Identity Check, is the extra bank-confirmation step used for online card payments.

• How it works: After card details are entered, the bank sends an SMS, app code, push notification or one-time password.
• Purpose: It proves the cardholder is authorizing the payment and reduces fraud risk.
• Requirement: Turkish merchant accounts require 3D Secure for international online card transactions.
• If inactive: Contact the card-issuing bank and ask them to enable 3D Secure / OTP for international online purchases.

Before paying, make sure your phone can receive bank messages abroad and that your banking app is active.

Many failed payments are caused by 3D Secure not being active or by a bank blocking an international Turkish online purchase.

• Check your phone and banking app: Look for SMS, push notification or OTP approval.
• Call the bank: Ask them to enable 3D Secure / OTP and allow international online purchases.
• Wait and retry: Try again after about 30 minutes.
• Change browser or device: Mobile data or a private window may help if redirects are blocked.
• Try another Visa or MasterCard: Some banks decline Turkish merchants by default.
• Request a fresh link: Expired or single-use payment links can be regenerated.
• Use an alternative: Bank transfer or Western Union can complete the booking if cards continue to fail.

The online deposit paid by Visa or MasterCard has no extra fee. A card commission applies only if the remaining balance is also paid by credit card.

• Deposit by card: No fee.
• Balance by card: +10% bank commission.
• Balance in cash on arrival: No fee, usually accepted in Euro or USD and also in Turkish Lira where agreed.
• Balance by bank transfer: No extra fee from the tour operator side; your own bank may charge wire fees.

The most cost-effective setup is often card deposit plus cash balance on arrival.

Yes. The standard payment structure is a 40% deposit at booking and a 60% balance before or on the tour start date.

• Deposit, 40%: Paid online by Visa or MasterCard, or by bank transfer. No extra fee.
• Balance, 60%: Paid in cash on arrival, by bank transfer, or by credit card with 10% bank commission.
• Full payment: Available if you prefer one transaction and no balance handling on arrival.

The deposit secures flights, hotels, guides, transfers and other reservations. For departures less than 15 days away, full payment may be requested in advance.

Prices are quoted in Euro (EUR). Online card charges are also made in Euro, and your bank converts the payment to your home currency using its own exchange rate.

• Online card: Charged in Euro.
• Cash on arrival: Euro, US Dollar or Turkish Lira may be accepted using the daily xe.com rate.
• Bank transfer: Normally sent in Euro to the corporate account.

Cash in Turkish Lira withdrawn from a local ATM may give a better practical rate than card conversion. Airport exchange offices often use less favorable spreads.

Yes. After paying the 40% deposit to confirm the booking, the remaining 60% can usually be paid in cash when you meet the driver or guide in Turkey.

• Accepted cash: Euro, US Dollar or Turkish Lira using the daily xe.com exchange rate.
• Payment time: At airport pickup or during the first hotel / guide meeting, depending on itinerary.
• Receipt: A signed receipt is issued and should be kept with the voucher.
• Exact amount: Recommended, because drivers may not carry change for large bills.

For the best rate, many travelers withdraw Turkish Lira from a local ATM after arrival and keep some EUR or USD for the first 24 hours.

American Express and Diners Club are not accepted because the Turkish acquiring bank processes only Visa and MasterCard for online payments.

AMEX and Diners use separate networks and usually carry higher merchant costs. Accepting them would raise overall tour pricing, so they are not supported.

• Alternative 1: Pay by international bank transfer using SWIFT / IBAN details.
• Alternative 2: Use Western Union and send the MTCN code after payment.
• Alternative 3: Pay the eligible balance in cash on arrival in EUR, USD or TRY.

If you want card protection but hold only AMEX, another traveler may pay the deposit with Visa or MasterCard and be reimbursed privately.

If a payment link has not arrived within about 10 minutes, the cause is usually a spam filter, corporate mail block or an incorrect email address.

• Check folders: Spam, junk, promotions and filtered inboxes.
• Search terms: Search your mailbox for “payment” or “Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon”.
• Confirm email: Contact [email protected] or WhatsApp to verify the address on file.
• Use a second address: Gmail, Outlook or a personal address often works when corporate mail blocks the message.
• WhatsApp option: The same secure payment URL can be sent by WhatsApp if needed: +90 505 932 7978, +90 533 554 8555, +90 536 709 5098 and +90 532 450 8227.

Add [email protected] to your contacts before requesting a new link to reduce delivery problems.