How Do I Find Cheap Flights in 2026?

Published: 8 October 2026 · Last updated: 8 October 2026 · Author: Garry Shi, Cashback Expert, ShopBack US

To find cheap flights in the US in 2026, search with flexible dates and nearby airports, compare the same itinerary on two or three booking sites such as Expedia, Priceline, CheapOair and Trip.com, and use the airline's 24-hour hold or cancel rule to lock a fare while you keep looking. Then go through ShopBack US before you book, so part of what you pay comes back as cash on the same booking.

ShopBack US is a free cashback site and app. You tap through to a booking site such as Expedia, Priceline or CheapOair from ShopBack, book as normal, and part of the fare comes back to you as cash you can withdraw. ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. You can join ShopBack US free here before you start searching.

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How do I find cheap flights?

Cheap flights come from three things working together: flexible search, comparing the same flight in more than one place, and booking at the right moment. Here is the order that usually works best:

1. Search a range, not a date. Use the flexible-date or calendar view on the booking site and look at the whole week either side of your ideal day. Midweek departures are often cheaper than Friday and Sunday, though this varies by route and season.
2. Check nearby airports. Many US cities have two or three airports within driving distance (New York, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington, Chicago). The fare saved at a cheaper airport can be worth more than the extra drive.
3. Compare the same itinerary on two or three sites. Search the identical flights, times and fare type on Expedia, Priceline, CheapOair or Trip.com, then check the airline's own site.
4. Compare like for like. A basic economy fare without a carry-on can look cheaper than a main cabin fare with one. Add bags and seat selection before you compare totals.
5. Lock it in. Use the 24-hour hold or cancel rule (below) to secure a fare you like while you keep watching.
6. Go through ShopBack before you book. Open the booking site's page on ShopBack US and tap through, then book in the same session.

For timing advice by route type and season, see when to book flights.

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How to find cheap flights in 2026: the rules that help you

One of the most useful rules for cheap flights in 2026 is the US Department of Transportation's 24-hour rule. Under federal regulation (14 CFR 259.5), covered airlines must let you hold a reservation at the quoted fare without payment, or cancel it without penalty, for at least 24 hours after booking, if you book one week or more before departure. Each airline can choose which of the two it offers.

That gives you a free window to lock a good fare and keep searching. If a lower fare turns up within 24 hours and your airline offers the free cancellation option, you can cancel and rebook. When you book through a travel site rather than the airline, the site's own cancellation terms also apply, so read them before you pay.

The same regulation requires airlines to tell you, on their website, at the ticket counter or by phone, when the lowest fare they offer may be available elsewhere. That is the reason to compare: the same seat can be priced differently across sites.

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How to find cheap flights: best deals in the US in 2026

The best flight deals in the US usually appear during booking-site sales around Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday, and through each site's own deal formats. According to Priceline, its Cyber Week 2025 sale ran from November 10 to December 2, covered flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and packages, and included further discounts on Flight Express Deals. Expect booking sites to run similar events in late 2026; check each site's deals page in early November.

Other places deals show up:

• Price alerts. Fare-tracking tools, such as Google Flights' price tracking or the alert features in booking site apps, email you when a route drops.
• Flight and hotel packages. Expedia and Priceline both sell packages, and bundling can cost less than booking each part separately. Price both ways.
• New airline partnerships. Since August 6, 2025, Southwest fares have been bookable on Priceline and through Booking.com and Agoda, according to Priceline. The same announcement says Southwest runs more than 4,000 daily flights to over 100 destinations, so a booking site search now covers more low-fare options than it used to.

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Expedia vs Priceline: which finds cheaper flights in 2026?

Neither Expedia nor Priceline is cheaper every time; both search many airlines, so fares on the same flight are often close, and what differs is the program around the booking. Compare the exact same flight on both, on the same day, with the same bags.

	Expedia	Priceline
Loyalty program	One Key, launched by Expedia Group in 2023 and shared with Hotels.com and Vrbo	Priceline VIP; Southwest bookings on Priceline also earn Rapid Rewards
Deal formats	Flight and hotel packages	Flight Express Deals, packages, Cyber Week sale
Good fit if	You book hotels or holiday rentals on Expedia Group brands too	You fly Southwest or like Express Deals
ShopBack step	Open Expedia on ShopBack, then tap through	Open Priceline on ShopBack, then tap through

For more on getting the most from Expedia, see how to save on Expedia.

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Expedia, Priceline and CheapOair: how each one helps you find cheap flights in the US

Expedia, Priceline and CheapOair are all US booking sites that compare many airlines at once; the right one depends on how you like to book and what you need after you book.

Expedia. Expedia's One Key program, launched in 2023, links Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, so travelers who book stays as well as flights can earn across all three. Expedia also sells flight and hotel packages.

Priceline. Priceline offers Flight Express Deals and runs a large Cyber Week sale each November. Since August 2025 it has sold Southwest fares, with all Southwest fare types bookable so you can compare fare bundles side by side, according to Priceline's announcement.

CheapOair. CheapOair is run by Fareportal, a New York-based travel company. According to Fareportal, CheapOair searches more than 500 airlines, and you can book through its iOS and Android apps, by phone or by live chat, with live customer support 24/7. That suits travelers who want to talk to a person when plans change.

Other US booking sites for flights and stays on ShopBack include Trip.com, Booking.com, Agoda, Hotels.com and Vrbo.

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Go through ShopBack before you book

Before you book a flight on Expedia, Priceline or CheapOair, or a hotel on Booking.com or Agoda, go through ShopBack first. It is one step in the booking, the same as checking the fare rules:

1. Sign in to ShopBack US on the web or in the app.
2. Open the booking site's page (Expedia, Priceline or CheapOair) and read which bookings qualify.
3. Tap through and complete the booking in the same session, without detouring to coupon sites or other extensions.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Here is an illustrative example: on a $450 round trip at an illustrative 3%, $13.50 comes back, so the effective price is $436.50. That rate is only an example; check the live rate on the booking site's ShopBack page, since rates and qualifying bookings vary by site and can change. CheapOair works differently: ShopBack pays a fixed cash amount on eligible CheapOair bookings, so your effective price is what you pay at checkout minus that amount; the live amount is on CheapOair's ShopBack page. For the full travel walk-through, see how to earn cashback on travel bookings.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way to find flights in the US?

Search with flexible dates and nearby airports, compare the same itinerary on two or three booking sites such as Expedia, Priceline, CheapOair and Trip.com, and check the airline's own site. Then go through ShopBack US before you book, so part of what you pay comes back as cash.

Is Expedia or Priceline cheaper for flights?

Neither is cheaper every time. Both search many airlines, so the fare on the same flight is often close. Expedia suits travelers who also book hotels through One Key brands, and Priceline suits travelers who want Express Deals or Southwest fares, which Priceline has sold since August 2025. Compare the same flight on both on the same day.

Can I cancel a flight within 24 hours for free?

US Department of Transportation rules require covered airlines to let you hold a reservation at the quoted fare without payment, or cancel without penalty, for at least 24 hours after booking, if you book one week or more before departure. Each airline chooses which of the two it offers, and booking sites set their own cancellation terms, so read them before you pay.

Does CheapOair have customer support if my flight changes?

Yes. CheapOair is part of Fareportal, which says it offers live customer support 24/7. You can book through CheapOair's apps for iOS and Android, by phone or through live chat, and it searches more than 500 airlines, according to Fareportal.

Can I book Southwest flights on a booking site?

Yes. Since August 6, 2025, Southwest fares have been bookable on Priceline, and through the Booking Holdings brands Booking.com and Agoda, according to Priceline. Travelers booking Southwest through Priceline still earn Rapid Rewards.

Do flight booking sites have sales?

Yes. Priceline's Cyber Week 2025 sale ran from November 10 to December 2 and covered flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and packages, with further discounts on Express Deals, according to Priceline. Expect similar sales around Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday in 2026.

How does ShopBack lower the price of a flight?

ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. Go through ShopBack US before you book on Expedia, Priceline or CheapOair, and part of what you pay comes back as cash. Each booking site's ShopBack page shows the live rate and which bookings qualify.

Is cash back on flights the same as airline miles?

No. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Airline miles can only be spent on that airline or its partners.

Should I book the flight and hotel together?

Sometimes. Expedia and Priceline both sell flight and hotel packages, and a package can cost less than booking each part separately. Price both ways. Before you book a hotel on Booking.com or Agoda, or a flight on Expedia or Priceline, go through ShopBack first.

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Key takeaways

• Search flexible dates and nearby airports, and compare the same itinerary on two or three booking sites plus the airline.
• Use the 24-hour hold or cancel rule to lock a fare when you book a week or more ahead.
• Expedia links bookings through One Key; Priceline has Express Deals and Southwest fares; CheapOair offers 24/7 live support across 500+ airlines.
• Watch for booking-site sales in late November.
• Go through ShopBack US before you book, so part of the fare comes back as cash.

Found the fare? Open Expedia, Priceline or CheapOair on ShopBack US before you book, and the cash comes back on the same booking.

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Related reads

• When to book flights
• How to earn cashback on travel bookings
• How to save on Expedia
• Trip.com discounts in the US
• US travel cashback hub

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Fares, booking-site programs, sale dates and cancellation terms are set by airlines and booking sites and can change at any time; facts above are taken from the US Code of Federal Regulations, Priceline, Fareportal and Expedia Group publications at the time of writing. Cashback rates and qualifying bookings are shown on each booking site's ShopBack US page. Illustrative rates in examples are not current offers.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional or financial advice.