JetBlue becomes the first major domestic carrier in the U.S. to accept Apple's mobile wallet. UATP forms a partnership with BitNet to enable airlines to accept bitcoin.

JetBlue Airways today announced plans to be the first major domestic carrier in the U.S. to accept Apple Pay.

In a separate announcement, Universal Air Travel Plan said 250 airlines in its network now have the option to accept bitcoin for airfare thanks to a partnership with BitNet. The UATP is a payment network owned by major international airlines such as American Airways, British Airways and Lufthansa.

Apple Pay will begin appearing on select JetBlue transcontinental flights from New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco in mid-February, according to a press release. Apple Pay will roll out to additional flights beginning in March, with all JetBlue flights accepting Apple Pay by June. Customers can ask their inflight crewmembers if Apple Pay is available.

To enable Apple Pay in the air, JetBlue will deploy iPad minis and NFC-enabled cases to more than 3,500 inflight crewmembers. In addition to the cases with Apple Pay compatibility, each iPad mini will be loaded with a custom-designed iOS app — The Inflight Service Assistant — which will give inflight crewmembers access to customer manifest and flight data to provide the best experience possible to JetBlue customers.

The Inflight Service Assistant app offers crewmembers the ability to easily identify TrueBlue and Mosaic loyalty members by name for those special touches like wishing a customer a happy birthday, according to the announcement. The iOS app will also offer timely flight information, aircraft configuration and safety information, along with the cases that offer with the payment processing capability for Apple Pay and traditional credit card purchases.

"JetBlue has always stood out because our crewmembers care about our customers," said Joanna Geraghty, executive vice president, customer experience, JetBlue. "By giving crewmembers thoughtful ways to use technology, we can support an even more personalized onboard experience with a perfect partnership of high tech and high touch."

In addition to onboard purchases, JetBlue customers will be able use Apple Pay to complete purchases in JetBlue's mobile iOS app later this year.

As for the UATP deal, a company spokesperson told CoinDesk that airlines have expressed an interest in accepting bitcoin. Though no current UATP partner has enabled bitcoin acceptance, BitNet said it is in negotiations with airlines to add the feature.