Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and a host of other virtual currencies have become mainstream weekly news and even infiltrated family conversations and bar talk. Due to the unprecedented rise in value of cryptocurrencies over the last year, they continue to gain traction as a payment option in lieu of cash or credit cards.

As early as 2013, airlines and online travel agencies began accepting Bitcoin as a payment method. Valuations back then were roughly $900 per BTC (Bitcoin) and with values in the last few months ranging between $13,000-$20,000 per BTC, the swing toward cryptocurrency as a payment option appears to only be in the beginning stages. Let’s look at the airlines and online travel agencies that are currently accepting Bitcoin and similar currnecies for payment.

airBaltic — The Latvian carrier began accepting Bitcoin for payment in 2015 and utilizes BitPay as the payment processor. There’s a “miner fee” attached to each payment, which is made by scanning a QR code.

BTCtrip.com — The online travel agency allows you to pay for flights with Bitcoin or Litecoin (LTC), showing prices only in the amount of BTC/LTC required. This European site definitely has an alternative feel to it, but had competitive prices for the routes I searched.

Cheapair.com — In 2013, Cheapair.com was the first US website to start accepting Bitcoin for travel. You can still pay for air, hotel and car rentals with Bitcoin on the site. Cheapair also uses Coinbase for payment processing.

While Cheapair.com, another online travel agency, also used Coinbase, that travel website has since switched to BitPay.

Jeff Klee, CEO of Cheapair.com, noted in a statement published on Bitcoin.com in late April that Coinbase had informed the travel service that it will no longer support custodial solutions for merchants, and that on April 30 merchants would no longer be able to create new orders using the Coinbase merchant tools. Klee further noted Cheapair.com’s plan to use BitPay as a processor.

Cheapair.com, in addition to accepting bitcoin since 2013, also accepts litecoin, bitcoin cash, and dash for both flight and hotel bookings, the company announced this past May.

Klee also stated in May that the company has experienced a “huge uptick” in customers requesting alternative currencies.

Destinia.com — The Spanish online travel agency accepts Bitcoin for flights, hotels and car rentals. Simply change the currency in the top-right corner to Bitcoin.

Expedia — The online travel agency only accepts Bitcoin for hotels (not flights) and uses Coinbase. You can send BTC to an address or use your Coinbase wallet to pay. Reported on July 2,2018 that an Expedia spokesperson confirmed the company would not accept bitcoin for hotel or flight bookings and that it was evaluating alternative payment options. The spokesperson said the company apologized for inconveniences because there had been no advance notice of the change.

Peach — Japanese discount carrier Peach announced in May 2017 that it would begin accepting Bitcoin by the end of December 2017. However, I went through a few dummy bookings and it still doesn’t appear to be a payment option.

Surf Air — The California-based all-you-can fly airline announced in December 2017 that it would accept Bitcoin and Ethereum for monthly payments. I went to the site to try and find any mention of the payment form and got all the way to a checkout page for a new membership, but only credit card was listed. I called the airline to check and got a “no one is here to accept your call, goodbye” message and a hangup.

Expedia Stops Accepting Bitcoin, Driving Users to Alternative Travel Sites

Alternative Travel Sites Available

Aside from Cheapair.com, there are a variety of lesser-known travel services and airlines that accept cryptocurrency.

Travel websites that accept bitcoin include Destina.com, Abitsky.com, Btctrip.com, Fluege.com, Nurflug.de and Agencciadeviajesvirtual.com.

Airlines that accept bitcoin include Airbaltic.com of Latvia, Flypeach.com of Japan, Fat.com.tw of Thailand, and Cebupacificair.com of The Philippines.

Gift cards that can be used to pay for some airlines include Gyft, eGiftergiftoff, FlightGiftCard, Bitrefill.com.

Featured image courtesy of Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images.