CheapAir crosses $1.5 million in bitcoin sales

Late last year, online discount travel agency CheapAir.com made waves in the bitcoin world when it announced it would begin experimenting with bitcoin. The company’s partnership with Coinbase makes it one of the first major supporters of bitcoin payments, anticipating later moves by TigerDirect, Overstock and Expedia. That early adoption appears has paid off. On today’s Coinbase blog, CheapAir revealed that it had surpassed $1.5 million in total bitcoin payments for hotels and flights, well beyond its initial first-year projections.

Speaking with CoinDesk about the news, CheapAir CEO Jeff Klee noted that bitcoin users are “incredibly loyal,” a valuable advantage in an industry where “people tend to shop around.” For a company of CheapAir’s size, $1.5 million in revenue is more than just a novelty. It’s a viable, if small, revenue stream.

Klee also noted that his company hasn’t seen a dip in sales since Expedia’s recent bitcoin adoption. “We were wondering if we might take a hit because of it, but we haven’t,” he said.

In appreciation of their success with bitcoin, CheapAir is offering a free trip to the Inside Bitcoins Conference in London this September. The giveaway includes a pass to the conference, airfare and hotel room (roughly $2,500 in value). Details about the contest are available on CheapAir’s promotional page.