For years, airlines and financial services have overlapped without fully recognising what they've become. Long before 'embedded finance' became a buzzword, airlines were already issuing co-branded credit cards, running loyalty currencies, financing big-ticket purchases, and processing millions of daily transactions across global networks. The difference was that these financial capabilities have largely sat alongside the core travel experience, not deeply embedded within it. That separation is starting to look outdated, and opportunities are being missed. Airlines aren't just transportation companies, they are fintech platforms. They just need to start acting like it. Managing this manually creates fragmented experiences. This is where orchestration becomes critical. Passengers shouldn't need to think about which provider powers a payment plan or processes a refund. Those decisions should happen invisibly, within the airline's platform.