Quick answer
Does Emirates accept crypto?
Only for eligible UAE residents paying in AED. Since July 28, 2026, Emirates accepts Crypto.com Pay on emirates.com and in its app, when the booking is priced and settled in dirhams (AED). Everyone else needs a seller. SatFares, a flight booking site paid only in crypto, sells Emirates tickets for BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC. Your balance is held, not charged, until Emirates issues the e-ticket number.
Emirates: crypto payments and booking
| Accepts crypto directly | Yes |
|---|---|
| Payment processor | Crypto.com Pay |
| Conditions | Eligible UAE residents only, for bookings priced and settled in UAE dirhams (AED), paid with a Crypto.com account on emirates.com or the Emirates app. |
| Since | 2026-07-28 |
| Details | Launched on July 28, 2026 (official release). The payment is approved in the Crypto.com app: by QR code on the website, or by a switch to the Crypto.com app on mobile. |
| Checked on | October 12, 2026 (official website) |
| Sold by SatFares | Available |
| Card holder check | In some countries the card holder must be one of the travellers or carry the same name, and the card may be requested at the check-in desk. |
| Country | United Arab Emirates |
| Hubs | DXB |
Emirates and crypto: more facts
| Company behind the option | Crypto.com's Dubai entity, holder of a Stored Value Facilities licence from the Central Bank of the UAE |
|---|---|
| Coins named by Emirates | None: the launch release does not list them |
| Partnership signed | Memorandum of Understanding with Crypto.com, July 2025 |
| Regulation | Processed in line with UAE regulatory standards, according to Emirates |
| Travellers living outside the UAE | Can't use Crypto.com Pay at Emirates, even with a Crypto.com account |
Can non-UAE residents pay Emirates with crypto?
Not on emirates.com. Emirates limits Crypto.com Pay to eligible UAE residents, and only for bookings priced and settled in AED. A traveller who lives in Nigeria, India or Brazil can't use it, even with a Crypto.com account.
The other option is a seller that takes crypto and books the ticket with the airline. With SatFares, you pay from your own balance, and Emirates issues the ticket in the traveller's name. Popular routes: Lagos to Dubai, Mumbai to Dubai and Delhi to Dubai.
Can I pay Emirates with USDT?
Not directly. Emirates does not name USDT, and its option only runs through a Crypto.com account. On SatFares, USDT is accepted on Tron (TRC-20) or Ethereum (ERC-20), and USDC on Ethereum (ERC-20).
Send USDT on TRC-20 only to the TRC-20 address shown on the payment page. Funds sent on another network may be lost. Network steps and confirmations: pay with USDT on TRC-20.
How do I book Emirates with crypto on SatFares?
Emirates on SatFares: Available. The steps:
- Top up your balance from $25.
- Search your Emirates route, for example to Dubai. The price shown is the fare found live for all passengers, in US dollars, taxes included, with no fee added; the final total is confirmed before you are charged.
- At checkout, the total is held on your balance. Our team books the ticket with Emirates on request and confirms the final total.
- Your balance is charged when Emirates issues the e-ticket number. If it can't be issued in time, the amount is released.
Flights to or from the United Kingdom are paused at launch, including Emirates flights.
Will Emirates ask for my card at check-in?
It can, for card payments in some countries. Emirates' booking FAQ says that the card holder may have to be a traveller or carry the same name. The card may also be requested at the check-in desk.
With SatFares, you pay us in crypto, and no card of yours is used. Card-holder rules are Emirates' own. If Emirates asks you for any check at the airport, contact [email protected] with your booking code. You still show your passport, and the names on the booking must match it exactly. See what data airlines require.
What if Emirates cancels my flight?
You get a refund in USDT or USDC within 7 days, or a balance credit, as you choose. If you cancel yourself, the Emirates fare rules of your ticket decide what comes back, and any refund is credited to your balance. Your flight booking will be bound by the fare rules and Conditions of Carriage of the airline(s).
Frequently asked questions
Does Emirates accept Bitcoin?
Emirates does not name bitcoin. Its crypto option is Crypto.com Pay, open since July 28, 2026 to eligible UAE residents paying in AED; the coins depend on the Crypto.com app. On SatFares you can pay an Emirates ticket in BTC on the Bitcoin network, credited after 2 confirmations.
Do I need a Crypto.com account to pay Emirates in crypto?
On emirates.com, yes: you approve the payment in the Crypto.com app. With SatFares, no. You send coins from your own wallet or exchange to the address on our payment page, on the exact network. Then you book from your balance.
Is the Emirates crypto option regulated?
Emirates says payments are processed in line with UAE regulatory standards. The option is run by Crypto.com's Dubai entity. Emirates says it was the first virtual asset service provider to get a Stored Value Facilities licence from the UAE Central Bank.
Can I pay for another person's Emirates ticket?
Yes. Enter each traveller's names exactly as in the passport, the date of birth and gender, plus passport details for international trips. Emirates issues the ticket in the traveller's name. No ID upload, no selfie at checkout. Airline ID rules still apply.
Can I fly Emirates to or from London with SatFares?
Not yet. Flights to or from the United Kingdom are paused at launch on SatFares, whatever the airline. Selling flight-only tickets there requires ATOL arrangements that we have not put in place. Flights are not ATOL protected. Other Emirates routes appear in the live search.
What does SatFares charge on an Emirates ticket?
Our fee: none (no booking fee or payment fee is added). The price shown is the fare found live for all passengers, in US dollars, taxes included, with no fee added; the final total is confirmed before you are charged. If the total is higher when our team books, you see it and choose: accept it, or have the amount released. Network fees of your own transfer are paid to the blockchain, not to us.
Since when has Emirates taken crypto?
Since July 28, 2026. Emirates and Crypto.com signed a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2025. The payment option went live about a year later, on emirates.com and in the Emirates app. It is limited to eligible UAE residents paying in AED.
Sources (5)
- Emirates and Crypto.com give customers a new way to pay for flights — Emirates (checked 2026-10-12)
- Booking with Emirates (FAQ) — Emirates
- Emirates accepts crypto payments for UAE residents — InsideFlyer (2026-07-29)
- United Arab Emirates Travel Advisory (Level 3: Reconsider travel) — US Department of State (August 29, 2026; checked 2026-10-13)
- United Arab Emirates travel advice — UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (updated July 24, 2026; checked 2026-10-13)