You may think you need a credit card to purchase an airline ticket. But a debit or prepaid card will work just as well. And your options may even expand to cash and checks if you book your flight through a travel agent or if you purchase your ticket at an airport ticket counter.
This may surprise you, but that’s because most people assume the rules for renting a car and booking a hotel room also apply to reserving a flight. However, airlines do not apply a hold to your payment method and are therefore less particular about how you book and settle up.
With that being said, there is some differentiation among the major airlines’ payment policies, particularly regarding the use of cash and personal checks. Before booking your travel, check out our breakdown of the payment methods accepted by the 10 largest U.S. airlines — as well as our tips for buying and saving on airfare.
Payment Policies by Major Airline
The table below details the policies of the 10 largest commercial passenger airlines in the U.S. with regard to the most common types of payment methods. The policies referenced in this table reflect each airline’s prevailing stance toward each payment method as well as the major exceptions to these rules of thumb.
Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order | ACH | PayPal | |
Accepted via Phone/Internet? | ||||||||
Accepted at Airport Ticket Counter? | N/A | |||||||
Additional Info | $15 ticketing fee if purchasing by phone or at airport ticket counter. One-time use credit/debit cards permitted if flight purchased 6 days before scheduled departure. | $15 ticketing fee if booking by phone or at airport ticket counter. If booking over the phone, must pay within 24 hours in order to hold seat and fare. | N/A | N/A | ||||
Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order | ACH | PayPal | |
Accepted via Phone/Internet? | ||||||||
Accepted at Airport Ticket Counter? | N/A | |||||||
Additional Info | N/A | N/A | N/A | Ticket must be purchased two hours before scheduled departure. | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order | ACH | PayPal | |
Accepted via Phone/Internet? | (no foreign-issued Diners Club) |
(no foreign-issued Diners Club) |
(no foreign-issued Diners Club) |
|||||
Accepted at Airport Ticket Counter? | (no foreign-issued Diners Club) |
(no foreign-issued Diners Club) |
(no foreign-issued Diners Club) |
N/A | ||||
Additional Info | Single-use credit/debit cards permitted if flight purchased 6 days in advance. | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order | ACH | PayPal | |
Accepted via Phone/Internet? | ||||||||
Accepted at Airport Ticket Counter? | N/A | |||||||
Additional Info | $10 booking fee for economy and standard rewards flights when booking over the phone. | Cash is no longer accepted as a form of payment at any Frontier airport ticket counter as of Jan. 7, 2015. | No check of any kind is accepted as a form of payment at any Frontier airport ticket counter as of Jan. 7, 2015. | N/A | N/A | |||
Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order | ACH | PayPal | |
Accepted via Phone/Internet? | ||||||||
Accepted at Airport Ticket Counter? | N/A | |||||||
Additional Info | N/A | N/A | N/A | Ticket must be purchased 4 hours before scheduled departure. | Ticket must be purchased 4 hours before scheduled departure. Business checks also accepted. | Ticket must be purchased 4 hours before scheduled departure. | N/A | N/A |
Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order | ACH | PayPal | |
Accepted via Phone/Internet? | ||||||||
Accepted at Airport Ticket Counter? | N/A | |||||||
Additional Info | N/A | N/A | N/A | $25 booking fee. May also pay with cash through Western Union (WU) by calling JetBlue or visiting jetblue.com to hold booking.Must pay at a WU location within 24 hours to confirm reservation. Booking with WU must be made at least 2 calendar days before scheduled departure. | Only traveler's checks accepted at airport ticket counter and must be signed in front of JetBlue airport crew member. Otherwise, must present driver's license or passport. | N/A | N/A | |
Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order | ACH | PayPal | |
Accepted via Phone/Internet? | ||||||||
Accepted at Airport Ticket Counter? | N/A | |||||||
Additional Info | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order | ACH | PayPal | |
Accepted via Phone/Internet? | ||||||||
Accepted at Airport Ticket Counter? | N/A | |||||||
Additional Info | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order | ACH | PayPal | |
Accepted via Phone/Internet? | ||||||||
Accepted at Airport Ticket Counter? | N/A | |||||||
Additional Info | N/A | N/A | N/A | May only pay with cash through Western Union (WU) by calling United or visiting united.com to hold booking. Must present confirmation number from United at WU location and pay for fare amount + $14.95 by midnight Central time the day after booking. |
N/A | N/A | Must book 14 days prior to scheduled departure. Must provide bank account from U.S. (account and routing numbers); driver's license number; delivery address for ticket (must match bank account statement address); and phone number. $25 booking fee if booking by phone. |
N/A |
Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order | ACH | PayPal | |
Accepted via Phone/Internet? | ||||||||
Accepted at Airport Ticket Counter? | N/A | |||||||
Additional Info | Whoever owns the card used to purchase your flight must accompany you to the airport, or you won't be permitted to fly. | Accepted only for phone reservations. | Must call at least 24 hours in advance to hold the seat and arrive at least 1.5 hours prior to scheduled departure. Fare amount will be determined at airport ticket counter. | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Tips
- Prepare for Security Scrutiny: While it is indeed possible to book a flight without plastic, Giada Lebani, named one of the Top 25 Travel Agents of 2013 by Travel Agent magazine, said the practice is generally frowned upon because it raises a red flag that you’re a suspicious traveler, especially when purchasing an expensive ticket. “Once the ticket is paid in cash or certified check or money order, clients may find themselves under more scrutiny through security,” Lebani said. “In today’s world, it does sound a little ‘fishy’ when someone pays a high amount of money in cash, such as a business class ticket to Dubai one way at $17,000.”
- Have Plastic for In-Flight Spending: Most airlines now refuse to accept any other form of payment but credit, debit and prepaid cards for in-flight purchases of food, beverages and entertainment. So either get yourself a card or forgo having a cocktail on your next flight!
- Consider a Prepaid Card: If you’re having trouble getting your hands on a credit card or a debit card, for whatever reason, consider picking up a prepaid card. Not only do many of these accounts — which are increasingly being used as replacement checking accounts — offer guaranteed approval, but they also enable you to make purchases with any airline.
- Leverage a Mileage Program: People dream of vacationing for free thanks to their credit card rewards. Opening the right card and using it responsibly will help you make that dream come true. A number of cards are now offering initial rewards bonuses worth up to $400 in travel expenses. Major issuers are also building extensive networks of rewards transfer partners, enabling customers to transfer their credit card earnings to the rewards programs of specific airlines and hotels for direct booking.
- Prepare for Hassle If You Book with Someone Else’s Card: If your flight was booked with someone else’s credit, debit or prepaid card and that person does not accompany you to the airport, you’ll be asked to verify your identity at the check-in counter. The airline staff will also need to contact the card’s owner to rule out fraud if you can’t produce the card used in the transaction.If you book through such travel websites as Orbitz or Expedia, only the airline for the first leg of a trip with connections will usually require the physical presence of the card. Make sure you arrive at the airport extra early to have plenty of time for checking in and verifying your identity.
- Use PayPal: Many airlines — currently including Southwest, United, American and U.S. Airways — also accept PayPal as payment.
- Book Through a Travel Agent: By shopping for travel through a middle person rather than booking directly with an airline or hotel chain, you may be able open up a number of additional payment options, including cash and checks.
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