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Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. SHARE: Adobe Stock May 27, 2022 Checkmark Bankrate logo How is this page expert verified? At Bankrate, we take the accuracy of our content seriously. "Expert verified" means that our Financial Review Board thoroughly evaluated the article for accuracy and clarity. The Review Board comprises a panel of financial experts whose objective is to ensure that our content is always objective and balanced. Their reviews hold us accountable for publishing high-quality and trustworthy content. Ted Rossman is a senior industry analyst at Bankrate.com. He focuses on the credit card industry and helps consumers maximize rewards, get out of debt and improve their credit scores. Mariah Ackary is a personal finance editor who joined the Bankrate team in 2019, excited by the opportunity to help people make good financial decisions. Send your questions to Cathleen's stories on design, travel and business have appeared in dozens of publications including the Washington Post, Town & Country, Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Fodor’s Travel, Departures and The Writer. Bankrate logo The Bankrate promise
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I have taken a few JetBlue flights lately, and their in-flight services and payment methods were as I remembered them pre-pandemic. During a March flight, my family bought a couple of snack boxes and we paid with a credit card which the flight attendant inserted into a handheld reader. American Airlines paid alcohol and food sales on many of its flights with a similar pre-pandemic payment experience. Cash is not accepted, but physical credit and debit cards can be used. Delta Air Lines stopped accepting cash on its North American flights way back in (and began accepting contactless payments ). It’s still possible, however, to pay with a physical credit or debit card if you choose. Who uses cash anyway
About five percent of Americans are unbanked, , but this likely isn’t a population that takes many flights; it’s also very unusual to buy an airline ticket with cash. If you don’t have a credit or debit card, you probably already had to develop a workaround to buy your ticket. One popular alternative is to load cash onto a prepaid debit card. In fact, I saw a reverse ATM in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport that does exactly that, although the $6 transaction fee would sting. Still, most Americans have at least one credit or debit card, and almost all of them should have access to a contactless payment method. That’s often viewed as less germy and could involve tapping the card itself or using it via a mobile payments service like or . Some people like the privacy and anonymity of cash. And many older Americans still prefer cash for these reasons and others (such as habit). But cash made up just 19 percent of transactions measured by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s latest . United s prohibition on cash and cards is unusual
United’s decision to forgo not only cash payments but also physical credit and debit cards still shocks me. It actually dates back to March 2020, but I didn’t notice since I didn’t fly United for a while. I think they should at least accept contactless payments. Touching cards (or cash for that matter) seems like a minor concern anyway. “The principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is through exposure to respiratory droplets carrying infectious virus,” “It is possible for people to be infected through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects (fomites), but the risk is generally considered to be low.” It strikes me as hypocritical since United and other airlines are constantly touting the safety of the air on their planes. “The latest research is showing that aircraft cabins are among the safest of public indoor environments. A recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) supports the conclusion that the risk of COVID-19 exposure on board our planes is almost zero thanks to advanced air filtration systems, required mask-wearing and diligent cleaning protocols.” Note that the mask mandate is no longer in effect. Basically, the CDC says that COVID-19 mainly spreads through the air, yet United says their air is safe but don’t you dare try to pay with a physical card or cash because saving a payment method in advance “make[s] your trip safer and more enjoyable.” Pretty squishy logic, if you ask me. It’s also interesting because the airline industry is filled with copycats, yet at the moment, airlines have very different approaches to onboard refreshments and payments. I have to think United is losing a lot of revenue by making it difficult for passengers to buy food and drinks during flights. The bottom line
This is another example of how the “new normal” isn’t what you experienced pre-COVID. , although it will look different in many respects. I noticed some of these changes during my recent trip, including a host of closed airport restaurants and others with limited menus and staff. I experienced two of the longest security lines in my traveling history in Newark and Orlando, yet breezed through the checkpoint in Phoenix. American Express popularized the slogan, “Don’t leave home without it.” If you’re flying on United, don’t leave home without saving a credit or debit card number to your account. Have a question about credit cards? E-mail me at and I’d be happy to help. SHARE: Ted Rossman is a senior industry analyst at Bankrate.com. He focuses on the credit card industry and helps consumers maximize rewards, get out of debt and improve their credit scores. Mariah Ackary is a personal finance editor who joined the Bankrate team in 2019, excited by the opportunity to help people make good financial decisions. Send your questions to Cathleen's stories on design, travel and business have appeared in dozens of publications including the Washington Post, Town & Country, Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Fodor’s Travel, Departures and The Writer. Related Articles