Travelers Will Be Able to Purchase Airline Tickets With Crypto in Venezuela

Travelers will be able to purchase airline tickets in Venezuela using cryptocurrencies in the near future. According to statements made by Freddy Borges, Director of the Maiquetía International Airport, the institution would be working to include cryptocurrencies such as dash, bitcoin, and the national petro as supported currencies in the airport’s payment system.

Airport to Receive Crypto as Payment In Venezuela

The adoption of cryptocurrency as a way of paying for airline tickets in Venezuela might be near. According to statements made by Freddy Borges, who is the director of the Maiquetía International Airport, the institution is working to adapt its payment system to receive some cryptocurrencies as payment for airline tickets and other services offered in the airport. In this sense, Borges stated:

“We will activate a button for cryptocurrency payments in the airport platforms and commercial activities, in coordination with Sunacrip.”

Among the mentioned cryptocurrencies that would be supported, the officer mentioned bitcoin, dash, and the national petro. Borges highlighted the importance of establishing these payment methods to facilitate the purchases of tourists that might come to the country in the future. He told that the airport must advance in the implementation of these new tools that the tourists might use.

The use of these cryptocurrencies as payment methods will be regulated by Sunacrip, the national cryptocurrency watchdog. The Maiquetia International Airport is one of the most important civil airports in the country, receiving passengers from 17 different international destinations.

Not the First Time

This is not the first time that cryptocurrencies are mentioned as possible payment methods for airline tickets in Venezuela. A national airline called Conviasa announced it would start selling tickets in Petros back in 2019. At that time, Joselit Ramirez, the national cryptocurrency superintendent stated these operations would confirm in less than two minutes.

Then, Turpial Airlines, another national airline, announced it would be accepting payment in bitcoin for tickets last August. The small airline, that operates with three Boeing planes, was one of the pioneering private airlines in announcing support for cryptocurrency payments.

This announcement seems the result of what Nicolas Maduro, the president of the country, stated in January, when he stressed this would be the year for the “revival” of all cryptocurrency systems. However, inflation and devaluation have not stopped this year. On October 1, the Venezuelan government applied a redenomination of the fiat currency, slashing six zeros of its value to facilitate payments.