To comply with industry regulations and maintain a secure and sustainable payments ecosystem for travelers, advisors, and TravelJoy, we offers two payment processing plans: Standard and Flexible. This guide outlines what each plan is, how they differ, and how to determine which one is right for your business.
| 💡Note: This only applies to advisors using Direct Payments. If you’re exclusively using Supplier Invoices to capture authorizations, these changes do not apply to you. |
Overview of the payment processing plans
| Plan | Standard processing | Flexible processing |
|---|---|---|
| Description | This is the default plan designed for advisors to make supplier payments via virtual credit cards and/or wire transfers on TravelJoy. Advisors can still withdraw planning fees and markup. This plan addresses most advisors’ needs. Click here to learn how to pay suppliers. | This plan offers greater operational flexibility and is intended for advisors who have specific workflows that require withdrawals to pay suppliers off-platform. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is TravelJoy making changes to payment processing?
We’ve had to adjust our risk policies due to several recent incidents and to reflect TravelJoy’s risk profile as the platform underlying all transactions processed on the platform.
We’re adjusting our payment processing plans in line with our risk policies, to fulfill requirements from our payment processor and networks, and to stay compliant with Seller of Travel laws. These plans introduce important safeguards to protect you, your clients, and the integrity of the platform, while maintaining flexibility for how you run your business.
TravelJoy must ensure that client funds are used only for verified travel-related expenses. As part of the change, Legacy Direct Payments, where TravelJoy has no visibility into how client funds are spent, will unfortunately no longer be supported.
I am currently on legacy direct payments, how will the changes affect me?
Payments collected will no longer be directly paid out to your bank account. Client funds collected via direct invoices will be managed using trip funds or group funds.
From the Funds page, advisors can make supplier payments via a virtual credit card or wire transfer, withdraw planning fee and markup, and request reimbursement for off-platform payments with receipts.
Advisors on the Flexible plan may additionally withdraw funds up to a limit to make supplier payments. Documentation (e.g., group contract) may be required to enable the use of funds.
Can I collect planning fees under both plans?
Yes! You can either send a dedicated Planning Fee Invoice or check the “this is my planning fee” box when sending a Direct Invoice (provided it's been at least 5 business days since your first charge on the platform). To learn more about this, take a look at this guide.
Additionally, planning fees can be withdrawn from trip and group funds in both plans.
What if I still want to pay suppliers using my own credit cards or transfer methods?
Some of our advisors prefer to pay suppliers outside of the TravelJoy system (e.g., to collect credit card points, due to host agency mandate). Off-platform payments are possible under both payment processing plans.
Under the Standard plan, advisors who are able to pay their suppliers upfront can withdraw from Trip and Group Funds to reimburse themselves for these payments, as long as they have a matching receipt.
We understand that upfront payments may not be possible, especially due to rather transactions in the travel industry. Under the Flexible plan, advisors can submit invoices for supplier payments, withdraw the funds to pay suppliers and submit the relevant receipts within 7 days.
How will pricing be affected?
Under the Standard processing plan:
- Credit card payments will incur a 3.5% charge, plus $0.30 per transaction
- ACH payments will incur a 1.5% charge
- Overall cost may actually decrease, because all direct invoice payments, regardless of if they originate from a Group Booking Page, will have the same cost
Under the Flexible processing plan:
- Credit card payments will incur a 5.0% charge, plus $0.30 per transaction
- ACH payments will incur a 3.0% charge
- The additional cost reflects the increased risk to TravelJoy when payments are made to suppliers off-platform
Under both plans, processing costs can continue to be passed onto clients. For each advisor, all transactions must be processed under the same plan.
Can I change my plan later?
Yes - we want to ensure all advisors have a smooth transition to their new plan and it will work for your long-term needs. You may change your plan once before Friday, February 20, 2026 by contacting us at hello@traveljoy.com.
What happens if I don’t choose a plan?
If you don’t select a plan by the deadline, your account will be automatically placed on the Standard Processing Plan.
How can I learn more about how Funds and the new payment processing plans work.
We created a video that provides an introduction to Funds and includes simple guidance on how to get started with Funds. This is the best place to start for most questions.
We recognize this will be a meaningful change to how you use Direct Payments but we are here to help. If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out.
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