Travel and banking are increasingly becoming part of the same digital journey, and BBVA and eDreams are looking to bring the two experiences closer together. The companies have signed a strategic agreement to develop new digital propositions that combine digital banking with travel services, initially focusing on Italy and Germany.
The partnership reflects a broader shift in how consumers use financial and travel platforms. Rather than treating banking and travel as completely separate parts of everyday life, the two companies plan to explore services that connect financial products with travel benefits, offers and booking-related experiences. Germany will be the first market to see a joint customer campaign, with Italy also included in the strategic collaboration.
For eligible new BBVA Germany customers joining through the initiative, the first campaign offers one year of Opodo Prime Plus at no cost. The travel subscription normally carries a value of €119.99 and provides benefits and discounts across flights, hotels, trains and car rentals. The promotion began on September 28, 2026.
Connecting Banking With the Travel Journey
The agreement goes beyond a single promotional offer. BBVA Digital Banks and eDreams ODIGEO intend to use their respective expertise to explore new ways of combining financial services with travel.
For BBVA, the partnership provides an opportunity to extend its digital banking proposition into areas that are closely connected with customers’ everyday spending and lifestyle needs. For eDreams ODIGEO, the collaboration opens access to a new audience of digital banking customers while creating opportunities to introduce its travel products and subscription services to them.
BBVA said the partnership forms part of its strategy to develop its value proposition beyond traditional financial services through collaborations with companies from different sectors. Travel has been identified as an area of particular relevance to its customers.
Germany Leads the First Joint Campaign
Germany has been selected as the first market for the partnership’s customer-facing initiative.
From September 28, eligible customers who join BBVA Germany through the campaign can receive 12 months of Opodo Prime Plus free of charge, giving them access to the subscription’s travel-related benefits. The programme covers several major travel categories, including flights, accommodation, rail journeys and car rentals.
The campaign also includes a banking feature that could be particularly relevant to international travellers. BBVA Germany customers can make card payments in foreign currencies without foreign exchange fees, according to the bank. This adds an international spending element to a partnership that otherwise focuses on combining travel and financial services.
Why Travel and Banking Are Moving Closer
The relationship between financial services and travel has been changing as more of the travel journey moves online. Customers now research destinations, compare prices, book accommodation, arrange transport and manage payments through digital channels.
That convergence gives financial institutions an opportunity to become part of a customer’s travel journey, while travel companies can use financial partnerships to strengthen their connection with customers beyond the booking itself.
BBVA has already been expanding its digital banking presence in Europe. The bank launched a 100% digital bank in Germany in 2025, following the development of its digital banking business in Italy. BBVA’s current corporate information identifies Italy and Germany as two markets where it operates digital banks in Europe.
For eDreams ODIGEO, the collaboration comes as the company continues to broaden its travel subscription strategy. Its Prime programme now covers flights, hotels, holiday packages, car rental and rail, with the company working to expand the subscription across additional travel categories and markets.
eDreams Expands Its Digital Travel Ecosystem
The BBVA agreement arrives during an active period of technology and product development for eDreams ODIGEO.
The company has been expanding Prime beyond its original flight-focused proposition. In January 2026, eDreams announced the strategic scaling of its rail offering, initially adding thousands of rail itineraries in Spain and Italy. By September 2026, Prime had reached 8.1 million members, according to the company’s latest financial update.
Artificial intelligence is also playing an increasingly important role in the company’s technology strategy. In July 2026, eDreams ODIGEO announced a collaboration with Visa to support secure AI-initiated transactions, allowing verified AI agents to interact with its travel platforms and complete transactions within defined controls.
This wider technology push provides context for the BBVA partnership. Both companies are developing digital ecosystems in which customers can access more services through connected online experiences.
Building a Longer-Term Partnership
The companies have described the agreement as the beginning of a longer-term strategic collaboration rather than a one-off marketing campaign.
BBVA Digital Banks’ Global Head Murat Kalkan said the companies intend to develop a joint roadmap that could lead to more integrated finance-and-travel experiences, including new products, benefits and conditions for customers. eDreams ODIGEO’s Chief Marketing Officer Frédéric Esclapez similarly described the agreement as an opportunity to explore new possibilities at the intersection of travel and financial services.
The initial campaign therefore provides a practical starting point while leaving room for the partnership to evolve across both markets.
What This Means for Travellers
For customers, the most immediate benefit is the ability for eligible new BBVA Germany customers to access a year of Opodo Prime Plus without the standard €119.99 subscription cost. The foreign-currency card payment feature also adds a travel-related financial benefit for BBVA Germany customers.
The larger development, however, is the attempt to connect two traditionally separate digital journeys. As travel booking, payments, loyalty and financial management increasingly overlap, partnerships such as this could create new ways for consumers to manage different parts of a trip through connected digital services.
A New Intersection of Finance and Travel
The BBVA and eDreams partnership arrives at an interesting point for both industries, where digital platforms are no longer limited to one type of service. Banking apps are expanding into lifestyle and commerce, while travel platforms are becoming broader ecosystems covering transport, accommodation, subscriptions and payments.
Starting in Germany and extending its strategic scope to Italy, the collaboration creates a framework for testing how these two digital worlds can work together. The first campaign is straightforward — a travel subscription benefit linked to a banking proposition — but the longer-term ambition is broader.
If the partnership develops as planned, the next phase could see financial services and travel become increasingly interconnected, giving customers access to relevant travel benefits alongside the digital banking tools they already use.
