How to Book a Flight Without a Credit Card (2024)

Jul 26, 2024

Fact checked

Written by Adam McCann

WalletHub Financial Writer

Fact Checked by Alina Comoreanu

WalletHub Senior Researcher

You may think you need a credit card to purchase an airline ticket, but a debit or prepaid card will work too. 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 people often assume the rules forrenting a carandbooking a hotel roomalso apply to reserving a flight. However, airlines do not apply a hold to your payment method, so they’re less particular about how you book and settle up.

There is some differentiation among the major airlines’ payment policies, however, particularly regarding the use of cash and personal checks. Before booking your travel, check out our breakdown of the payment methods accepted by the largest U.S. airlines – as well as our tips for buying and saving on airfare.

Table of Contents

Payment Policies by Major AirlineTips for Booking Flights Without a Credit Card

Payment Policies by Major Airline

The table below details the payment policies of the 10 largest commercial passenger airlines in the U.S. and reflects each airline’s prevailing stance toward each payment method.

Airline	Credit Card	Debit Card	Prepaid/ Gift Card	Cash	Personal Check	PayPal
Alaska	YES	YES	YES	YES(only at the ticket counter)	NO	NO
Allegiant	YES	YES	YES	NO	NO	NO
American	YES	YES	YES	YES (only at some ticket counters)	YES (only at some ticket counters)	YES
Delta	YES(no foreign-issued Diners Club)	YES (no foreign-issued Diners Club)	YES	YES (only at some international airports)	NO	YES
Frontier	YES	YES	YES	NO	NO	NO
Hawaiian	YES	YES	YES	NO	Varies by location	NO
JetBlue	YES	YES	YES	NO	NO	YES
Spirit	YES	YES	YES	NO	NO	NO
Southwest	YES	YES	YES	YES (only at international airports)	NO	YES
United	YES	YES	YES	NO	NO	YES

Additional Rules by Airline

Alaska Airlines

There is a $15 fee when purchasing tickets by phone or at the airport ticket counter. Also, one-time-use credit card numbers may be used as payment when the ticket is purchased at least 6 days in advance. You can also purchase a flight using the buy now, pay later service Uplift.

Allegiant Airlines

There is a $14.99 booking fee when purchasing a flight through the Allegiant call center. Flights may be purchased within two hours of departure only at the airport. You can also purchase a flight using the buy now, pay later service Uplift.

American Airlines

Online tickets must be purchased at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure. You may be able to purchase tickets with shorter notice at the airport ticket counter. American Airlines also offers buy now, pay later financing options.

Delta Air Lines

Single-use credit and debit cards may be used as payment when the flight is purchased at least 6 days in advance.

Frontier Airlines

A $35 service charge is applied for each standard-fare ticket and Frontier Miles award ticket booked over the phone. You can also buy a plane ticket using the buy now, pay later service Uplift.

JetBlue Airways

If you want to pay for a flight with cash, you can hold your booking by calling JetBlue at 1-800-JETBLUE (1-800-538-2583) at least 2 calendar days before the flight’s scheduled departure. You must then pay for your flight at a Western Union location by midnight the following day to confirm the reservation.

Traveler's checks are accepted at JetBlue ticket counters, and the check must be signed in front of a JetBlue airport crew member. Otherwise, you must present your driver's license or passport for signature verification.

Southwest Airlines

You can purchase flights using the buy now, pay later option Uplift.

Spirit Airlines

Spirit customers can buy plane tickets using the buy now, pay later financing option Uplift.

United Airlines

A $25 service charge applies when booking with a United representative by phone. The fee is $30 for booking at a United ticket office and $50 for in-person bookings at the airport. You can also purchase tickets using Uplift.

Tips for Booking Flights Without a Credit Card

Prepare for Security Scrutiny:While it is indeed possible to book a flight without plastic, it could raise a red flag that you’re a suspicious traveler, especially when purchasing a ticket shortly before the flight.
Have Plastic for Purchases: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 co*cktail on your next flight! Some airlines, like Delta and JetBlue, have even gone entirely cashless at most airports, not allowing cash as a form of payment for flight upgrades or checked bags. If you only have cash, some airports may have a kiosk that allows you to buy a prepaid card.
Consider a Prepaid Card:If you’re having trouble getting your hands on a credit or debit card, for whatever reason, consider picking up aprepaid card. Not only do many of these accounts – which are often used as replacement checking accounts – offer guaranteed approval, but they also enable you to make purchases with any airline.
Leverage a Loyalty Program:Joining a frequent flyer program allows you to earn airline miles or points without a credit card. With airlines that offer a frequent flyer program, members may earn rewards with every flight or airline-related purchase they make, and enough miles and points can get them a free flight. If you are in the market for a credit card, using a general travel credit card or an airline credit card can earn you a free flight even faster than a loyalty program alone. Many travel cards are now offering initial rewards bonuses worth hundreds of dollars 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, you may be asked to present the form of payment used to buy your ticket when you arrive at the check-in counter. It’s rare these days, but it’s still a possibility. The best approach is to sort out the issue before you get to the airport by calling the airline’s customer service line. That way, you can ask about their policies and know what to expect when you check in.
Use PayPal:Many airlines – currently including Southwest, United and American – also accept PayPal as payment. Some airlines accept digital wallets like Apple Pay as well.
Book Through a Travel Agent:By shopping for travel through an intermediary rather than booking directly with an airline, you may be able open up a number of additional payment options, including cash and checks.

How to Book a Flight Without a Credit Card FAQ(12 questions)

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How can I fly for free?

Mary Kate Mulligan

@mary_mulligan

The best ways to fly for free are to get a travel rewards credit card, join a frequent flyer program, and volunteer to be bumped. Getting a new travel credit card with a large signup bonus can get you enough miles for a free flight pretty easily. And joining airlines' frequent flyer programs is free and simple. You can't easily plan to volunteer to get bumped, but you can get a travel voucher for a future free flight if you pull it off.

Of the many ways to fly for free, the easiest is usually with a travel miles credit card that has an excellent signup bonus. The best travel rewards cards come with a signup bonus of 50,000-60,000 points/miles for meeting an initial spending requirement. Since the average domestic one-way flight costs a little more than 14,000 miles, you can definitely fly for free multiple times with those miles.

How to Fly for Free:

Get a travel reward credit card. Apply for a new airline card or non-specific travel card that earns miles and signup bonuses you can redeem for free flights. The best cards will reward you for every purchase, so those miles can stack up fast.
Earn miles through a frequent flyer program. You'll earn miles for every flight you take, which you can then redeem for free flights and other perks in the future. Frequent flyer programs are free to join.
Volunteer to get bumped. If your schedule is flexible, you can volunteer to be bumped off a flight and receive a travel voucher. When flights get overbooked, the airline will often ask for volunteers who are able to wait for a later flight. In exchange, you'll receive a free travel voucher for a future trip, and also sometimes upgrades to first class.
Use a companion ticket. Some airline credit cards, like those affiliated with Delta and Southwest, occasionally offer companion tickets to cardholders for reaching either a spending threshold or an account anniversary. The companion ticket allows the cardholder to bring another person along with them on a flight for free. They'll still have to pay taxes and fees, though (typically around $10-$20).
Work for an airline. If you work for an airline, you'll receive free or reduced fares on flights. You'll have to fly stand-by, though, and you won't be guaranteed a seat. Plus, you'll still have to pay the taxes and fees associated with the flight.
Know someone who works for an airline. Most major airlines give employees “buddy passes,” good for a free flight, which employees can then pass on to whomever they want. American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, and United all have “buddy pass” policies that allow employees to receive or earn a limited number of passes each year. Buddy passholders generally receive the lowest priority boarding, and they must fly with their airline employee pal.
Fly on military “Space A” flights. The Space Available Flight program provides free flights for members of the military and their family. If you're eligible, you can fill unused seats on aircraft owned or controlled by the Department of Defense once all passengers and cargo have been loaded. You'll have to be very flexible with dates and times, however. And because Space A flights use military aircraft, that'll affect the destinations.

Getting one of the best travel reward credit cards and earning a signup bonus is the easiest way to fly for free – at least a time or two. Joining an airline's frequent flyer program is a good option, too. There are several other ways to fly for free, as well, though you probably won't be able to fly for free on every flight you take.

Upvotes

What is the best airline rewards program?

John S Kiernan, Managing Editor

@John

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ is the best airline rewards program, according to WalletHub's latest Frequent Flyer Report. And it doesn't matter whether you travel a lot, a little or somewhere in between because Mileage Plan is the top choice across the board. This is largely due to the fact that Mileage Plan miles don't expire because of account inactivity, in addition to valuable miles, lots of bonus miles for MVP members, and many earning options..

But you can see...

What are the best credit cards to buy airline tickets?

Bogdan Roberts, Credit Cards Moderator

@bogdan_roberts

The best credit card to buy airline tickets with is Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, thanks to its initial bonus of 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, worth $750 in travel booked through Chase (including airfare). Plus, you get 1 - 5 points per $1 spent on purchases.

The card's rewards are enough to offset its $95 annual fee, but you need to have at least good credit to get it. Chase Sapphire Preferred also gives you flexibility by allowing you to transfer points to leading airline loyalty programs.

...

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Upvotes

What is the best credit card for free flights?

Chip Lupo, Credit Card Writer

@CLoop

The best free flight credit card is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card because it gives new cardholders 60,000 points, and those points are worth $750 in travel booked through Chase. That can get you up to 3 free flights (round-trip) between New York and Los Angeles, based on current fares.

Chase Sapphire Preferred will also help you earn free flights over time, giving 1 - 5 points per $1 spent. You can even transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to Chase's airline partners, including Southwest,...

Upvotes

How can you get free flights with Southwest Rapid Rewards?

Ryan P Page, Staff Writer

@ryan_page

You can get “free” flights with Southwest Rapid Rewards by redeeming your Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points online or over the phone when you book a flight with Southwest Airlines. You will need to have enough points saved to cover at least the cost of a one-way ticket. Southwest does not allow you to mix multiple forms of payment for a single booking.

The exact number of points you will need depends on how much your ticket costs. Additionally,...

Upvotes

How many points do you need for a free flight on Southwest?

Adam McCann, Financial Writer

@adam_mcan

You need at least 6,000 to 30,000 points for a free flight on Southwest Airlines. The exact number of points you need will depend on the distance, which airport you fly into, and the dates of your trip. You can redeem 6,000 Southwest points for a free one-way domestic award flight with a Wanna Get Away seat, for example.

How Many Points You Need For a Free Flight on Southwest Airlines

One-Way Flight

Average Points Required

...

Upvotes

What is a flight credit card?

Milvionne Chery Copeland, Writer

@milvionne_copeland

A flight credit card is a credit card that lets you redeem points or miles for free flights. Flight cards can be affiliated with a specific airline's frequent flyer program or with a credit card issuer's rewards program.

The best flight card overall is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see ) since it offers 2 - 5 miles per $1 spent and an initial bonus of 75,000 miles for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. The Capital One Venture (see ) card also lets you redeem miles for flights with any airline.

Best Credit Cards...

Upvotes

Are airline credit cards worth it?

Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator

@m_adams

Yes, airline credit cards are worth it if you travel frequently with a certain airline. You'll often get extra rewards for buying your tickets from a specific airline and may receive special perks like early boarding or free checked bags. You can alsoget generaltravel cardsthat aren't partnered with any specific airline. Those cards often provide more versatility and better overall value than airline-branded cards. Let's look at some examples of both types.

...

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Upvote

What are the best credit cards for airline discounts?

Theresa Chalfant, Writer

@theresa_chalfant

The best credit card for airline discounts is the JetBlue Plus Card because it gives you a 50% discount on in-flight food and drink purchases on JetBlue-operated flights. You also get 10% of your points back when you redeem them for a JetBlue Award Flight.

In addition to these discounts, the JetBlue Plus Card offers an initial bonus of 50,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days and paying the annual fee, along with ongoing rewards of 1 - 6 points per $1 spent on purchases. Points can be redeemed for JetBlue flights, among other...

Upvotes

How do you earn airline miles without a credit card?

Christie Matherne, Credit Card Writer

@christie_matherne

The best way to earn airline miles without a credit card is to join an airline's loyalty program and then use your loyalty number to book whenever you fly. Each time you use your loyalty number to book a flight, through the airline or most travel websites, you'll earn airline miles.

If you're looking to earn miles without flying, you can also earn them on certain purchases made through partners of the frequent flyer program, from...

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