Quick answer
Can I pay for flights with USDT on ERC-20?
Yes. SatFares, a flight booking site paid only in crypto, accepts USDT on Ethereum (ERC-20) to pay for flights. You top up from $25, send USDT to the Ethereum address shown on the payment page, and your balance is credited after 12 confirmations. The Ethereum network fee is paid in ETH by your wallet. Your balance is held, not charged, until the e-ticket is issued.
USDT on ERC-20 at a glance
| Coin | Tether (USDT), the ERC-20 token issued by Tether on Ethereum |
|---|---|
| Network | Ethereum main network only |
| Confirmations before credit | 12 |
| Minimum top-up | $25 |
| Network fee | Gas, always paid in ETH, even for a USDT transfer |
| Address format | Starts with 0x, like BNB Smart Chain, Polygon, Arbitrum and Base addresses |
| Not accepted | USDT on BNB Smart Chain (BEP-20), Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism or any network other than Ethereum and Tron |
| Token check | The payment must be USDT: USDC or ETH sent on a USDT top-up is rejected |
| Airline cancels your flight | a refund in USDT or USDC within 7 days, or a balance credit, as you choose |
Why do I need ETH to pay with USDT on ERC-20?
Because every Ethereum transaction pays its fee in ETH. The ethereum.org documentation states that gas fees have to be paid in ether, the network's own currency. This applies to token transfers too, so a USDT transfer needs ETH in the same wallet.
The fee is the gas used multiplied by the base fee plus an optional priority fee. The base fee rises or falls with demand, block by block, and it is burned. The fee is charged even if the transaction fails. Your wallet shows the fee before you confirm. If you withdraw from an exchange, it charges its own withdrawal fee instead.
Which networks look like ERC-20 but are not accepted?
BNB Smart Chain, Polygon, Arbitrum, Base and Optimism all use addresses that start with 0x. Your wallet may accept our Ethereum address on any of them. The coins would then stay on that network and never reach Ethereum. Funds sent on another network may be lost, and we can't promise to recover them.
On an exchange, the right choice is usually labelled "Ethereum (ERC20)" or "ETH". Read the network name on the withdrawal screen before you confirm, not only the address.
How much USDT do I send for a $500 ticket?
About 500 USDT, plus gas in ETH. The $500 is the price shown at checkout, which 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. With an empty balance:
- Top up $500: it covers the ticket and is above the $25 minimum.
- Send the exact USDT amount shown. It is about 500 USDT, with a few unique digits at the end.
- Keep enough ETH in the same wallet to pay the gas. The gas is not taken from the USDT.
If you already have $120 on your balance, a top-up of $380 is enough. The payment page then asks for about 380 USDT.
How many confirmations does a USDT ERC-20 payment need?
Your balance is credited after 12 confirmations on Ethereum. The payment page counts them as they arrive. The transaction must succeed on-chain: a failed transfer, even with its gas paid, does not credit anything. Keep your transaction ID (TXID): it helps if you contact support.
Should I pay with USDT on ERC-20 or on TRC-20?
Use the network your USDT is already on. Both options cost the same at SatFares. The differences are on the blockchain side:
- ERC-20: 12 confirmations, fee paid in ETH (gas).
- TRC-20: 20 confirmations, fee paid in Energy, Bandwidth or TRX.
Moving USDT from one network to the other costs a fee of its own. Details of the Tron option: USDT on TRC-20. Coin comparison: USDT or USDC for flights.
Where is the ERC-20 deposit address, and what if the airline cancels?
The deposit address appears only on the payment page, after you choose USDT and Ethereum (ERC-20). It is not published on this site. Copy it from that page each time you top up.
If the airline cancels, you get a refund in USDT or USDC within 7 days, or a balance credit, as you choose. If you cancel yourself, the fare rules of your ticket apply, and any refund is credited to your balance.
USDT on ERC-20: common questions
Can I send USDT on Polygon or Arbitrum to the Ethereum address?
No. Only USDT on the Ethereum main network (ERC-20) is accepted at this address. Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism and BNB Smart Chain use the same 0x address format, so a wallet may let you send. The coins would not arrive on Ethereum and may be lost.
Can I pay a USDT top-up with USDC?
No. The payment is checked for the token as well as the network. USDC sent on a USDT top-up is rejected, even on Ethereum. Start a USDC top-up instead; it has its own option at checkout. If you already sent the wrong token, contact support with your TXID. We can't promise to recover it.
How much ETH do I need for gas?
Enough to cover the gas your wallet shows before you confirm. The amount changes with demand on Ethereum, so we don't give a fixed figure. Network fees are not measured by SatFares yet. The fee is charged even if the transaction fails.
Is USDT ERC-20 accepted from an exchange?
Yes, if the exchange sends it on the Ethereum network. Choose "Ethereum (ERC20)" on the withdrawal screen. Some exchanges take their withdrawal fee from the amount you type: make sure the amount received matches the exact amount on the payment page.
Is the ticket cheaper with ERC-20 or TRC-20?
The ticket costs the same. 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, whichever coin or network you use. Only the network fee differs, and it is paid by your wallet, not to SatFares.
What if I send a different amount of USDT than asked?
Contact support with your transaction ID (TXID), the amount and the time you sent it. Your payment is matched by the exact amount shown on the payment page, with its unique last digits. To avoid the problem, send that exact amount, and add your exchange's withdrawal fee if it takes the fee from the amount.
When is my balance charged for the flight?
Only when the airline issues the e-ticket number. At checkout, the ticket total is held on your balance. Our team then books the ticket on request and confirms the final total. If it is higher, you see it and choose: accept it, or have the amount released. If the ticket can't be issued in time, the full amount is released.
Sources (2)
- Gas and fees — ethereum.org (checked 2026-10-12)
- Supported protocols — Tether (checked 2026-10-12)