Are You Ready for Your Next Crypto Vacation?

If you’re reading this, you probably own some crypto. You’ve been thinking about using it for travel but aren’t sure how to get started. There are plenty of reliable ways to use your digital assets for spending on the road. Cryptocurrencies are accepted as payment by merchants around the world for everything from flights and accommodations to meals and more.

Whether you want to take a vacation in another country or explore some of the world’s coolest cities, the chances are that you can make it happen with just your smartphone. With cryptocurrency prices constantly fluctuating, if you have a pile of coins sitting in an exchange or wallet, we encourage exploring how they could be used as real money while traveling abroad.

Luxury Hotels Are Accepting Crypto for Payment

Luxury hotels are getting in on the action. The St Regis Bal Harbour became a trailblazer when it announced that it would accept crypto for payment in 2013. Since then, other luxury hotels have started doing the same. These include hotels like Wynn Las Vegas and Caesars Entertainment.

Crypto Can Be Spent on Vacations Around the World

A quick search on TripAdvisor will reveal many crypto-friendly hotels and resorts around the world. Do you want a luxury hotel in Miami? A vacation rental in Barcelona? Or perhaps a hostel in London or Amsterdam? You can use crypto to pay for your accommodations or stay with other crypto users, including those who rent their properties through Airbnb.

You can also use crypto to pay for almost every aspect of your trip from airfare with companies including AirBaltic, Destina, and CheapAir. You can also book meals and entertainment at local restaurants and bars if you’re traveling within the EU. Ground transportation options like car rentals (BitCar) and Uber rides can also be paid for using crypto.

You May Not Have to Convert Your Cryptocurrency Into Fiat Currency

If you plan on using cryptocurrency, you may be wondering if you need to convert it into fiat currency when traveling. The short answer is no, as long as the destinations you are visiting accept crypto. Some countries do not allow it, so check ahead of time.

Some businesses will even offer discounts for using crypto over traditional payment methods! However, there are some risks associated with using crypto for travel. A cryptocurrency value can fluctuate significantly in price and is susceptible to hacking attempts.

Additionally, many businesses that say they accept cryptocurrency can’t process these transactions yet.

Travel Agencies Will Help You Make Crypto Bookings

Travel agencies that want to provide their customers with the most convenient and efficient booking experience will be happy to help you make your arrangements using crypto. Major travel agencies that accept bitcoin include Expedia and CheapAir.

Vacation rentals are another accommodation option that is primed for crypto as a payment solution. This is because vacation rental hosts often don’t have access to credit card merchant services, so they’ve been looking for alternative ways for guests to pay. Crypto has provided them with just such a solution. Airbnb now accepts bitcoin through its partnership with Coinbase.

Keep Your Crypto in a Hardware Wallet

Yep, that’s right. Even if you’re just cryptocurrency-curious, it’s a good idea to get yourself a hardware wallet. A hardware wallet is a physical storage device for cryptocurrency that keeps your information safe and offline, meaning no one can hack into it as long as you take care of it properly.

Hardware wallets are faster and easier to use than other types of crypto wallets because they can store the private key information needed to access your coins on the device. You just have to plug it into your laptop or computer and input a PIN or password. Hardware wallets are also easy-peasy when it comes time to set them up since they’re preloaded with all the software needed for transactions. All users need is an internet connection.

Avoid Exchange Rate Surcharges

As you may know, the dollar isn’t always accepted everywhere; and even if it is, the local government may charge you more than what they’d charge one of their citizens. You can avoid these problems by using cryptocurrency to fund your travels. 

Instead of dealing with high transaction fees and exchange rates at banks or ATMs when visiting another country, you can use your crypto to pay for anything from flights to food in just seconds.

Many travel websites accept cryptocurrencies as payment. And if there’s a website where this isn’t possible yet, there are multiple travel agents who specialize in arranging trips funded exclusively through cryptocurrencies. These include cryptos, such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), and other popular coins in the cryptocurrency markets.

Many travelers plan their journeys for months or years, but sometimes an opportunity arises that requires you to reach your destination quickly without going through all the usual steps beforehand. This is where having access to crypto makes life easier. 

Instead of having to visit foreign currency exchange offices or wait for ATM withdrawals on top of handling other preparations for such an unexpected trip, all it takes is one simple transaction to fund your journey when using cryptocurrencies like BTC or ETH.

Bottomline

By now, you should have a good sense of how traveling with crypto works. It’s not too different from the way people typically travel with fiat currencies, which just means regular old money in any currency backed by a government.