Lois Larson
While it was common to purchase airline tickets with cash directly at the airport in the past, most airlines have transitioned to digital payment methods such as credit cards, PayPal, and eCredits. However, some airlines and travel agencies still accept cash purchases, albeit with certain limitations and requirements. It's important to check with the specific airline or travel agency before assuming they accept cash, as policies can change, and not all airports or counters may process cash payments. Some airlines that currently accept cash include American Airlines, Alaska Air, and JetBlue Airways, with the latter two offering ReadyStation kiosks to convert cash to prepaid debit cards for a fee. Paysafecash and Fawry are cash payment methods available in 48 countries and Egypt, respectively, that allow you to purchase flights online by generating a unique barcode for cash payment at a local payment point.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Airlines that accept cash | American Airlines, Alaska Air, Alternative Airlines, JetBlue (at Dominican Republic airports and city ticket offices) |
| Airlines that don't accept cash | Allegiant, Delta (at over 80 airports), Spirit (at most airports), Southwest (at U.S. ticketing counters) |
| Other ways to pay for flights | Credit cards, ticketless travel funds, gift cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Uplift, vouchers, LUV vouchers, eCredits, Alipay, debit cards, travel credit, prepaid debit cards, cash-to-card conversion services |
| Reasons for not accepting cash | Theft, money not making it off the plane, cards offering waived fees for in-flight purchases |
| Cash considerations | Call the airline to confirm which counters accept cash, check policies as they can change, online purchases are becoming more important, cash purchases may be limited |
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What You'll Learn
Airlines that accept cash
While many airlines have stopped accepting cash as a form of payment, some still do. It is important to check with the airline before attempting to make a cash purchase, as policies can change, and not all airports or ticket counters may accept cash. Here are some airlines that accept cash:
Alternative Airlines
Alternative Airlines offers flights with a choice of over 650 airlines and allows cash payments on all flights. They have two voucher/cash payment methods available: Fawry and Paysafecash. With Fawry, you can pay for your flight in cash at one of 125,000 payment points across Egypt. With Paysafecash, you can pay for your flight in cash at one of the payment points in 48 countries worldwide.
American Airlines
American Airlines accepts cash payments at some airport ticket counters and travel centres. However, it is recommended to call ahead and confirm which locations accept cash.
Alaska Air
Alaska Air accepts cash payments in the U.S.
JetBlue
While JetBlue has been moving towards a cashless system, it offers ReadyStation kiosks in airport lobbies that allow passengers to convert cash to prepaid debit cards for purchases.
In addition to the above, some airlines may accept cash payments at ticket offices outside of airports. It is always best to check with the specific airline to see if they accept cash and at which locations.
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Airports that accept cash
While many airlines have transitioned to digital payment methods, some airlines still accept cash purchases for plane tickets, albeit with certain limitations. It is important to check with the airline or OTA before attempting to make a cash purchase to avoid any issues or restrictions. Here are some airlines that allow cash transactions:
American Airlines
You can pay cash at some airport ticket counters and travel centres. However, it is always best to call ahead and confirm which locations accept cash.
Alaska Air
This airline accepts US and Canadian dollars at ticket counters in the US and Canada. In Mexico, only Mexican pesos are accepted at the ticketing counter. Alaska Air also has a solution for customers who want to pay cash at a cashless airport. They have ReadyStation kiosks in those airports, where for a fee of $5, consumers can convert cash to a prepaid debit card that they can use to purchase flights.
Southwest Airlines
Although Southwest stopped accepting cash at their US ticketing counters, the airline still accepts cash at their international locations. They offer four types of fares: Business Select®, Anytime, Wanna Get Away+®, and Wanna Get Away®. While the airline does not accept cash at ticketing locations, it does allow customers to pay for flights using a combination of cash and Rapid Rewards® points. This payment method is called Cash + Points and is available to all Rapid Rewards® Members. Cash + Points can be used for all four types of Southwest Airlines fares.
JetBlue
While JetBlue does not accept cash for reservations at most airports, its website states that it accepts Dominican pesos at its Dominican Republic airports and city ticket offices. JetBlue also offers ReadyStation kiosks in airport lobbies, which allow passengers to convert cash to prepaid debit cards for purchases, although there is a $5 fee for this service.
It is worth noting that many airlines no longer accept cash as a form of payment for fares, checked bags, and in-flight purchases. Some airlines that have adopted a cashless policy at certain airports include Delta, American Airlines, and Allegiant Air.
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Cash-to-card kiosks
While some airlines and OTAs still accept cash purchases, many have moved away from this payment method. It is always best to check with the airline or OTA before attempting to make a cash purchase to avoid any issues or restrictions.
A cash-to-card kiosk might seem like a small change, but it can significantly reduce employees' cash-handling tasks and enable them to provide better customer service. Card payments are up to 50% faster than cash, reducing waiting times for customers. Implementing cash-to-card kiosks also reduces the need for cash registers, armoured carrier services, and intensive staff activity for counting and reconciling cash.
Airlines that have been known to offer cash-to-card kiosks include JetBlue, which offers ReadyStation kiosks in airport lobbies, allowing passengers to convert cash to prepaid debit cards for purchases. However, there is a \$5 fee to use the service.
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Online cash payments
While many airlines have transitioned to digital payment methods, some still accept cash purchases for plane tickets, albeit with certain limitations.
Alternative Airlines, for example, offers flights with a choice of over 650 airlines and allows you to make cash payments on all flights. They offer cash payments through Paysafecash, which is available in 48 countries worldwide. You can select your flights and choose Paysafecash at checkout. You will then be given a unique barcode to take to a payment point, where you can complete your cash payment. Fawry is another cash payment option, but it is only available in Egypt.
American Airlines is another airline that accepts cash payments at some airport ticket counters and travel centers. However, it is always best to call ahead and confirm which locations accept cash.
Some airlines, such as JetBlue, offer ReadyStation kiosks in airport lobbies, allowing passengers to convert cash to prepaid debit cards for purchases. However, there may be a fee for this service, which can be a disadvantage for marginalized groups.
It is important to note that policies can change, and not all airports or ticket counters may accept cash. Therefore, it is recommended to check with the airline or OTA before attempting to make a cash purchase to avoid any issues or restrictions.
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Cash on board
While some airlines and OTAs still accept cash purchases, many have moved away from this payment method. It is crucial to check with the airline or OTA before attempting to make a cash purchase to avoid any issues or restrictions. Some airlines, such as Allegiant, Spirit, and Delta, have designated their airports as cashless, meaning they will not accept paper money as a form of payment. American Airlines accepts cash at some airport ticket counters and travel centres, although it is always best to call ahead and confirm. Alaska Air also accepts cash at its international locations, and JetBlue accepts Dominican pesos at its Dominican Republic airports and city ticket offices.
If you are looking to pay with cash onboard, it is important to note that an increasing number of airlines will not accept any form of currency for in-flight purchases. However, some airlines, like JetBlue, offer ReadyStation kiosks in airport lobbies, allowing passengers to convert cash to prepaid debit cards for purchases, although there may be a fee for this service.
When travelling with large amounts of cash, it is important to be aware of the regulations. While the TSA does not have rules limiting the amount of money you can bring through a security checkpoint, you must declare on a FinCEN105 form if you are bringing more than $10,000 on an international flight. Failure to do so may result in your cash being seized for civil asset forfeiture.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on the airline. Many airlines have moved away from accepting cash purchases, but some still do. It's best to check with the airline or OTA before attempting to make a cash purchase to avoid any issues or restrictions.
Some airlines that accept cash purchases include American Airlines, Alaska Air, and JetBlue Airways.
Some airlines that do not accept cash purchases include Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, and Frontier Airlines.
Alternative payment methods include credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and eCredits.
There is no limit to how much cash you can bring to the airport for a domestic or international flight. However, for international flights, you must declare if you are bringing more than $10,000 by filling out a FinCEN105 form.
