# What does paying for a flight in crypto really cost? TRC-20 vs ERC-20

> What paying for a flight in crypto really costs: fare, network fee paid by your wallet, exchange fees, USD conversion, and card costs in Argentina and Nigeria.

- URL: https://satfares.com/real-cost-of-paying-in-crypto/
- Last updated: 2026-10-13
- Publisher: SatFares (https://satfares.com)

**Quick answer — What does paying for a flight in crypto really cost?**

The real cost of paying for a flight in crypto on **SatFares** has four parts: the price shown, the network fee your wallet pays, any exchange withdrawal fee and, for BTC, ETH, SOL or LTC, the conversion to US dollars. For comparison, as of October 2026, card spending abroad carries a 30% perception in Argentina (RG 5617) and 3.5% IOF in Brazil. Your balance is held, not charged, until the e-ticket is issued.

## Key figures, as of October 12, 2026

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price shown | 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 |
| Our fee | none (no booking fee or payment fee is added) |
| Final total | Confirmed by our team when it books your ticket on request; a higher total needs your agreement |
| Blockchain network fee | Paid by the sender's wallet, on top of the amount sent; never received by SatFares |
| Network fees measured by us | None published yet: no figure before our own test payments |
| Exchange withdrawal fee | Set by your exchange; some exchanges take it from the amount you send |
| USDT and USDC | Amount to send close to the dollar amount, plus a few unique digits |
| BTC, ETH, SOL, LTC | Converted to US dollars at the rate locked on the payment page |
| Minimum top-up | $25 |
| Card spending abroad, for comparison | 30% perception in Argentina (RG 5617); 3.5% IOF in Brazil |

## What are the parts of the cost when you pay for a flight in crypto?

There are four main parts, and only the first one is paid to SatFares.

1. **The price shown.** It 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. A higher final total always needs your agreement, and the price is the same whichever coin you use.
2. **The network fee.** Your wallet pays it to the blockchain network when you send the top-up. It comes on top of the amount you send.
3. **The withdrawal fee of your exchange.** If you send from an exchange, it charges its own fee. Check its fee page before you choose a network.
4. **The conversion rate.** BTC, ETH, SOL and LTC are converted to US dollars at the rate shown on the payment page. USDT and USDC track the US dollar.

A fifth cost comes before the payment: the spread of the platform where you buy the crypto. If you buy coins just before you book, the buying price is part of your real cost.

Your balance is in US dollars. Once a top-up is credited, the price of BTC or SOL no longer changes what you can book.

## Who pays the blockchain network fee, and what does it depend on?

The sender pays the network fee, through the wallet or exchange that sends the coins. SatFares receives none of it. Each network sets its fee in its own way, as its official documentation explains.

- **Bitcoin (BTC):** fees are based on the size of the transaction in bytes. The fee per byte rises when demand for block space rises.
- **Ethereum (ETH, USDT ERC-20, USDC ERC-20):** the fee is the gas used multiplied by the base fee plus an optional priority fee. It is always paid in ETH, even for a USDT or USDC transfer.
- **Tron (USDT TRC-20):** a token transfer uses Energy and Bandwidth. When the sender lacks them, the network burns TRX: the documentation gives 0.0001 TRX per unit of Energy.
- **Solana (SOL):** the base fee is 5,000 lamports (0.000005 SOL) per signature, plus an optional priority fee.
- **Litecoin (LTC):** your wallet sets the fee and adds it on top of the amount.

These are protocol rules, checked on October 12, 2026. They are not measured fees in US dollars.

## TRC-20 or ERC-20 for flights: how do the USDT network fees work?

The ticket costs the same on both networks; only the network fee works differently. We have not measured either fee in US dollars yet, so this section explains the mechanism only.

- **Tron (TRC-20):** a USDT transfer triggers the token's smart contract, so it uses Energy as well as Bandwidth. You get Energy by staking TRX. Every account also gets a small free daily Bandwidth allowance. If your staked resources are not enough, the network burns TRX from your account: the documentation gives 0.0001 TRX per unit of Energy.
- **Ethereum (ERC-20):** the fee is the gas used multiplied by the base fee plus an optional priority fee. It is paid in ETH, even for a USDT transfer. The base fee rises or falls with demand, block by block, and it is burned. A smart contract call, such as a token transfer, needs more gas than a plain ETH transfer. The fee is paid even if the transaction fails.

What this means when you pay for a flight:

1. **From your own wallet:** keep TRX next to your USDT on Tron, or ETH next to your USDT on Ethereum.
2. **From an exchange:** you pay its withdrawal fee instead, which it sets for each network. Check its fee page before you choose.
3. **Confirmations:** a TRC-20 top-up is credited after 20 confirmations, an ERC-20 top-up after 12.

Use the network your USDT is already on: moving USDT from one network to the other costs a fee of its own. Guides: [USDT on TRC-20](https://satfares.com/pay/usdt-trc20/) and [USDT on ERC-20](https://satfares.com/pay/usdt-erc20/). Protocol rules checked on October 13, 2026.

## How many confirmations does each network need before your balance is credited?

Your top-up is credited after a fixed number of confirmations. The numbers below come from our payment settings and apply to every amount.

| Coin | Network | Confirmations | Network fee paid in | Guide |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bitcoin (BTC) | Bitcoin | 2 | BTC | [Pay with BTC](https://satfares.com/pay/btc/) |
| Tether (USDT) | Tron (TRC-20) | 20 | Energy, Bandwidth or TRX | [Pay with USDT TRC-20](https://satfares.com/pay/usdt-trc20/) |
| Tether (USDT) | Ethereum (ERC-20) | 12 | ETH | [Pay with USDT ERC-20](https://satfares.com/pay/usdt-erc20/) |
| USD Coin (USDC) | Ethereum (ERC-20) | 12 | ETH | [Pay with USDC](https://satfares.com/pay/usdc-erc20/) |
| Ethereum (ETH) | Ethereum | 12 | ETH | [Pay with ETH](https://satfares.com/pay/eth/) |
| Solana (SOL) | Solana | 1 (finalized) | SOL | [Pay with SOL](https://satfares.com/pay/sol/) |
| Litecoin (LTC) | Litecoin | 6 | LTC | [Pay with LTC](https://satfares.com/pay/ltc/) |

Deposit addresses are shown only on the payment page, never on this site.

## How is a BTC, ETH, SOL or LTC payment converted to US dollars?

You choose the top-up amount in US dollars. The payment page converts it into an exact coin amount, rounded up, at a locked rate. It also shows how long that rate is locked. The last digits of the amount are unique: they identify your payment.

- **Seen while the rate is locked:** the locked rate applies.
- **Seen after the lock ends:** the dollar value can differ from the amount you chose. Don't send a second payment: keep the transaction ID (TXID) and follow the payment page.
- **Exchange fee:** if your exchange takes its withdrawal fee from the amount you type, add the fee so that the full amount arrives.

With USDT or USDC, the amount to send stays close to the dollar amount, so the rate adds almost nothing to the cost.

## What does a card payment abroad cost in Argentina, Brazil or Nigeria?

For comparison, these are dated card rules from public sources. They are not tax advice.

| Country | Card rule | Date | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Argentina | 30% perception on card spending in foreign currency, including international passenger transport and travel agency services abroad (RG 5617). It is an advance payment on income tax or on the personal assets tax | In force since 2024-12-19; still applied on 2026-06-17 | Blog del Contador; El Cronista |
| Brazil | 3.5% IOF on credit and prepaid card purchases and withdrawals abroad | 2026-08-25 | Nubank |
| Nigeria | GTBank: international limit of $40,000 per quarter on naira cards | 2026-09-07 | Nairametrics |
| Nigeria | FirstBank: $10,000 per quarter across POS and online channels | 2026-09-07 | Nairametrics |
| Nigeria | Zenith Bank: $50,000 per year on naira cards | 2026-09-07 | Nairametrics |
| Nigeria | Stanbic IBTC: $8,000 per quarter on Mastercard naira debit cards | 2026-09-07 | Nairametrics |

Pay in stablecoins; local tax and exchange rules still apply. Paying in crypto may be a taxable event in your country. More countries: [Card Friction Index](https://satfares.com/card-friction-index/), [flights from Argentina](https://satfares.com/flights/from/argentina/), [flights from Brazil](https://satfares.com/flights/from/brazil/), [flights from Nigeria](https://satfares.com/flights/from/nigeria/).

## What do other crypto flight sellers charge?

We sell airline tickets paid in crypto. Our offer is included and marked. Other sellers' facts come from their own pages, as of October 2026.

| Seller | Fees published | Refund of a cancelled crypto payment |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SatFares (us) | Our fee: none (no booking fee or payment fee is added). The final total is confirmed before you are charged | Airline cancels: a refund in USDT or USDC within 7 days, or a balance credit, as you choose |
| Travala | No crypto fee announced. Flights: $15 per booking to void, or $25 per person to process a refund, on top of airline fees (terms 9.5) | Travel Credits, not convertible to cash or crypto; Binance Pay payments refunded in USDT |
| Laters | "No payment surcharge"; network fees only | CRO, BTC, ETH, USDC or TUSD, minus network fees; not in USDT |
| Alternative Airlines | "Some payments may include network or processing fees", not refundable | USDT page: refund in USDT "minus any applicable fees" |
| Cryptorefills | Not stated; changes and extra fees payable in fiat money | Airline cancellation: refund in fiat money |

*Checked on October 12, 2026.*

Full refund comparison: [Refund policy matrix](https://satfares.com/refund-policy-matrix/).

## Has SatFares measured network fees yet?

Not yet. As of October 12, 2026, SatFares publishes no measured network fee, and no estimate is shown in its place. We will publish a fee only when it comes from our own test payments, with a method fixed in advance:

1. We send test payments from our own wallets on each of the 7 coin and network options.
2. For each network, we publish the median fee of the week in US dollars, with the week.
3. We publish the transaction IDs (txid) of these test payments. Anyone can check them on a public block explorer.
4. A figure is replaced only by a newer measurement, and each figure keeps the week of its measurement.

No date is promised for the first figures. Until then, the protocol rules above explain what each fee depends on. The tables on this page (confirmations, card rules and seller fees) are published under the CC BY 4.0 license; see also our [open data](https://satfares.com/data/).

## Questions about the cost of paying in crypto

### Does SatFares charge extra for paying in crypto?

No coin or network costs more than another at SatFares. 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. Network fees and exchange withdrawal fees are paid to others, not to SatFares, and they never appear in our price. Your balance is held, not charged, until the airline issues the e-ticket number.

### Who pays the blockchain network fee?

You do, as the sender. Your wallet or exchange adds the network fee on top of the amount you send. The fee goes to the blockchain network, not to SatFares. It depends on the network and on how busy that network is when you send.

### Why are there no network fee figures on this page yet?

Because we have not measured them yet. We publish a fee only when it comes from our own test payments, with the week and the transaction IDs. As of October 12, 2026, none is published, and no estimate is shown in its place.

### Is a stablecoin cheaper than BTC to pay for a flight?

There is no measured answer yet. A stablecoin keeps the same dollar value before and after you send it. BTC, ETH, SOL and LTC are converted at the rate locked on the payment page. Network fees will be compared here once they are measured.

### What happens if the price of BTC changes after I send?

If your transaction is seen while the rate is locked, the locked rate applies. The payment page shows how long the lock lasts. A transaction seen after the lock ends can be valued at a different rate. After the credit, your balance is in US dollars and no longer moves with the price of BTC.

### Can an exchange withdrawal fee reduce my top-up?

Yes, if the exchange takes its fee from the amount you type. Then less arrives than the exact amount shown on the payment page, and that exact amount is how your payment is matched. Add the fee to the amount you type, so that the amount received matches the payment page.

### Is paying for a flight in crypto taxable?

It may be. Paying in crypto may be a taxable event in your country. In the United States, the IRS says that paying for goods or services with digital assets must be reported. This applies whether or not there is a gain or a loss. SatFares does not give tax advice.

### Can I reuse the data on this page?

Yes. The tables on this page, on confirmations, card rules and seller fees, are published under the CC BY 4.0 license. You can reuse them with a link to this page and the date of the version you used. Network fee figures, once measured, will carry their week and the transaction IDs of our test payments.

## Sources

1. [Gas and fees](https://ethereum.org/en/developers/docs/gas/) — ethereum.org (checked 2026-10-13)
2. [Transaction fees](https://solana.com/docs/core/fees) — Solana documentation (checked 2026-10-12)
3. [Resource model (Bandwidth and Energy)](https://tronprotocol.github.io/documentation-en/mechanism-algorithm/resource/) — TRON protocol documentation (checked 2026-10-13)
4. [Transactions: transaction fees and change](https://developer.bitcoin.org/devguide/transactions.html) — Bitcoin developer documentation (checked 2026-10-12)
5. [ARCA mantiene la percepción del 30% sobre operaciones en moneda extranjera (RG 5617)](https://blogdelcontador.com.ar/arca-percepcion-ganancias-operaciones-en-moneda-extranjera) — Blog del Contador (2024-12-19, checked 2026-10-12)
6. [Qué hay detrás del dólar tarjeta](https://www.cronista.com/economia-politica/que-hay-detras-del-dolar-tarjeta-el-numero-que-el-gobierno-no-quiere-resignar/) — El Cronista (2026-06-17, checked 2026-10-12)
7. [GTCO, FirstBank, Zenith Bank, others raise dollar spending limits as FX scarcity eases](https://nairametrics.com/2026/09/07/gtco-firstbank-others-raise-dollar-spending-limits-as-fx-scarcity-eases/) — Nairametrics (2026-09-07, checked 2026-10-12)
8. [IOF no cartão de crédito](https://blog.nubank.com.br/iof-cartao-credito/) — Nubank (2026-08-25, checked 2026-10-12)
9. [Digital assets](https://www.irs.gov/filing/digital-assets) — Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (checked 2026-10-12)
10. [Travala terms and conditions](https://www.travala.com/terms-and-conditions) — Travala (checked 2026-10-12)
11. [Travala help: refunds of crypto payments](https://help.travala.com/hc/en-us/articles/20907422717209) — Travala (checked 2026-10-12)
12. [Pay with USDT](https://laters.com/payment/usdt) — Laters (checked 2026-10-12)
13. [Cryptocurrencies](https://www.alternativeairlines.com/cryptocurrencies) — Alternative Airlines (checked 2026-10-12)
14. [Buy flights with USDT](https://www.alternativeairlines.com/buy-flights-with-usdt) — Alternative Airlines (checked 2026-10-12)
15. [Flights](https://www.cryptorefills.com/en/flights) — Cryptorefills (checked 2026-10-12)

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SatFares: SatFares is a flight booking site paid only in crypto (USDT on TRC-20 or ERC-20, USDC, BTC, ETH, SOL, LTC). The airline issues the ticket in the traveller's name, and your balance is charged only when the e-ticket number is issued.