Did you know that there is a very good change that your US dollar is worthless at 30,000 feet. With many airlines now demanding credit cards or debit cards for payment of extras such as beer, wine, snacks, and sandwiches.
Have a family member, son or daughter flying soon but they don't have a credit or debit card? If so you may be surprised how many airlines do no except cash on the airplane. It's got to be one of the few places in the world that the US dollar has no value!
Of course they love your credit cards and debit cards, they despise cash and is now a thing of the past like old paper airline tickets.
Here is a list of what the airlines accept credit cards, or debit cards only on most flights in the 50 US states, Canada, Caribbean, and Mexico.
You still have the option is some cases to pay with cash on international routes over the transatlantic and transpacific. However, all the airlines listed below for domestic routes have converted to a cashless cabin. The details are listed below and are directly from the individual airlines website.
| Airline | Do They Accept Cash? |
| AirTran | Acceptable forms of payment are Visa, American Express, MasterCard and Discover only. |
| Alaska | Onboard purchases can be made with any major credit or debit card. To accommodate Alaska residents who do not currently have a debit or credit card, $6 vouchers can be purchased at all of our ticket counters in the state of Alaska. |
| American | For onboard purchases, we will accept major credit or debit cards only, MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, and JCB cards are accepted. |
| Continental |
We only accept major cards including Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, American Express, Discover and JCB on all Continental, Continental Micronesia and Continental Express flights operated by ExpressJet. We'll also no longer accept cash on all Continental Connection and Continental Express flights operated by Chautauqua later this year. Cash is still accepted on flights to and from China at this time. |
| Delta | only accept credit and debit cards—no cash on Delta and Northwest Airlines flights traveling within North America, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. Cash and credit will continue to be accepted on all trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and South American flights as well as for all duty-free items. |
| Frontier | We accept credit cards only as payment for inflight purchases on Frontier Airbus flights. Use of your Frontier MasterCard or any other major credit card or debit card is accepted. |
| Hawaiian Air | All Hawaiian Airlines flights are cashless. Inflight purchases, such as headsets or drinks, can be made using your debit or credit card. |
| JetBlue | Only credit cards will be accepted |
| Midwest | We accept credit cards only as payment for inflight purchases. Major credit card or debit card is accepted. |
| Northwest | only accept credit and debit cards—no cash on Delta and Northwest Airlines flights traveling within North America, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. Cash and credit will continue to be accepted on all trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and South American flights as well as for all duty-free items. |
| Southwest | All major credit cards and Southwest Airlines drink coupons accepted. Cash is no longer accepted onboard. Use you Rapid Rewards Card and receive Double Reward Dollars on your drink purchases. |
| Spirit | Spirit Airlines is cashless for your convenience. Please pay with an American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa credit card or a debit card carrying a MasterCard or Visa logo. |
| United | We have now phased out cash and will only accept credit and debit cards on flights within the United States (including Hawaii), international trans-Atlantic flights and on flights to and from Canada, South America, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. United proudly accepts Visa and all other major credit cards including MasterCard, American Express, Discover and Diners Club, as well as debit cards bearing Visa or MasterCard logos |
| US Airways | You may only use credit or debit cards on US Airways flights within North America (including Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean). We’ll continue to accept cash, credit and debit cards on flights between the U.S. and Europe, the Middle East and South America. We accept cash only on US Airways Express. |
| Virgin America | Virgin America does not accept cash onboard. We accept Visa, Master Card, American Express and JCB. |
