Today is one of those days when nostalgia is more likely to leave you frowning than smiling, especially if you were among those who spent $2.99 on iBeer in 2011 instead of putting that exact amount into Bitcoin. The once-viral app allowed users to pretend they were drinking beer from their iPhones. It was a silly gimmick, but one that became hugely popular for showing off the phone’s screen and motion sensors. Now, 15 years later, that fad may come back as a painful regret, thanks to Emirates introducing Crypto.com Pay as a payment option on its website and mobile app.
Now comes the second part, which will either add to the excitement or deepen the regret. Based on Bitcoin’s median daily value of approximately $3.52 in 2011, that $2.99 would have purchased roughly 0.8494 BTC, a holding that would now be worth a whopping $54,500. In hindsight, the $2.99 spent pretending to drink beer from an iPhone is enough to make you choke on your coffee today. That once-measly amount could now pay for two lavish Emirates First Class roundtrips.
At a roundtrip fare of approximately $21,600 from New York to Dubai, the appreciated Bitcoin would cover two roundtrip tickets and still leave over $11,000. With that much money to play with, the obvious choice would be Emirates’ flagship Airbus A380, home to the crème de la crème of commercial aviation. Think complimentary Chauffeur-Drive service arriving at your doorstep, dedicated check-in and time spent relaxing inside a luxurious First Class lounge instead of waiting around at the gate.
Once onboard, passengers settle into individual suites located at the front of the A380’s upper deck. Sliding privacy doors shut out the rest of the cabin, while the leather seat converts into a fully flat bed complete with a mattress pad and luxury bedding. Emirates First Class passengers can unwind in luxe loungewear, pair caviar with Dom Pérignon and indulge in a hot shower at 40,000 feet inside one of the A380’s Shower Spas. That thrill of enjoying a digital beverage from your phone does not seem quite so thrilling now, does it?
Some travelers may spend around $22,000 on this level of pampering at 40,000 feet, but the foresighted Bitcoin buyer would be enjoying it from an original outlay of just $2.99. That tiny investment would have multiplied approximately 18,239 times, while the person who bought iBeer was left with a digital pint that eventually ran dry. Emirates’ new payment option is currently available to eligible UAE residents making bookings priced and settled in Emirati dirhams. Speaking about the development, Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Bringing this initiative to life delivers on our commitment to expanding customer choice in how they pay for travel. It also reflects the rapidly evolving preferences of a younger, digitally fluent generation who manage their money and plan their journeys primarily from their phones and they expect the airlines they fly with to keep pace.”
