Collinson International, a global leader in the provision of airport experiences, loyalty and customer engagement solutions, and owner and operator of SmartDelay™, has partnered with South Korea's leading payment processing company, BC Card, to provide greater convenience and reassurance to its cardholders in the event of a flight delay. Through this partnership, eligible BC Card cardholders will be granted complimentary access to Collinson International's global network of over 1,600 airport lounges and travel experiences in the event of a flight delay. All new VISA card applicants for the BC Baro MACAO Card by BC Card, Today eCredit Card by Busan Bank, and Pod Card by Busan Bank can enjoy the SmartDelay benefit for up to two flights; they simply need to pre-register their flights at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. In the event of a flight delay of over an hour, eligible cardholders will immediately receive a digital access voucher, through which they can easily redeem their real-time travel benefit. SmartDelay provides instant access to an airport lounge or alternative airport experience such as a spa experience, sleep pod visit or restaurant discount, without the need to complete a claim form. With travel across Asia Pacific demonstrating robust growth, recent flight delay statistics show that 54 million travellers across the region were impacted by more than an hour of flight delays in the first half of 2025*. Collinson International's latest research highlights that lounge benefits and other premium services are now central to the airport experience, with 80% of South Korean respondents having visited an experience at least once. Additionally, 56% of South Korean travellers also cited improved airport journeys due to airport lounge access through their payment card. This strong consumer preference underscores the growing importance of seamless, value-driven experiences in the travel ecosystem. "South Korea’s outbound travel continues to demonstrate remarkable vitality, with a 15.3% year-on-year increase in international departures. At the same time, such increase in passenger volumes puts pressure on travel infrastructure, with South Korea being one of the markets impacted by flight disruptions this summer travel season," said Ian Lee, Managing Director, North Asia, at Collinson International.
We are thrilled to be partnering with BC Card to enhance their cardholder’s travel experiences and we look forward to welcoming their valued customers to our expansive network of airport lounges and travel experiences globally.
“At BC Card, we strive to understand our customers’ needs and design products and services that cater to all aspects of their financial life, including their travel experiences. Through SmartDelay, we are delighted to provide our cardholders with access to airport experiences that offer them a space to unwind and relax in the case of flight delays and this in turn, provides them peace of mind when they travel,” said Minsuk Choi, Managing Director at BC Card. * Sourced from Cirium, 1st January 2025 – 30th June 2025
