tax bracket is meaningless here
this is more like under the table money where the OP pays no taxes, doesn't report it to the IRS or state/local authorities
but all in all if the OP is well off, maybe $1.4K is like $140 to me where I'd rather give up the $140 for the comfort on the plane (for $140 not $1.4K).. for $1.4k, I'll suck it up in EC but without status, I'd really be sucking it up in EC minus