How Do I Find Cheap International Flights From the US in 2026?

ShopBack US is a free rewards app, website and browser extension. You start your booking from the booking site's page on ShopBack US, book as usual on that site, and part of what you paid comes back as cash once the trip confirms. Join ShopBack US for free before you book your next international flight.

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How do I find cheap international flights from the US?

Cheap international flights from the US usually come from the same six moves, whatever the destination: flying in a cheaper month, picking a cheaper day, booking early enough, searching more than one airport, comparing the same itinerary across sites, and booking through ShopBack. Do them in this order.

1. Pick a cheaper month. According to Priceline, February and March usually offer the best international fares, while December is the priciest, and returning in January can be costly because of post-holiday demand.
2. Pick a cheaper day. Priceline says Thursday is usually the cheapest day to depart internationally and Sunday the most expensive, and a Monday return can trim up to 12% off the fare.
3. Book before the climb. Priceline says fares to Europe start rising about 2 weeks before departure, so do not leave an international booking to the last fortnight.
4. Search more than one airport. Check nearby departure airports in the US and more than one arrival airport abroad, then factor in the cost of getting to each.
5. Compare the same itinerary. Price the identical flights, times and fare type on two or three sites by the final total with bags.
6. Book through ShopBack. Booking through ShopBack lowers the cost of the trip, and you still book on the site you chose.

Cheap international flights 2026: cheapest months and days

The cheapest months for cheap international flights in 2026 are likely to follow the usual pattern Priceline describes: February and March are typically the best value and December the most expensive. These are general patterns from Priceline's flight guidance at the time of writing, not price promises for a specific route.

Priceline's guidance	International flights
Cheapest months	February and March
Most expensive month	December (January returns can also be costly)
Cheapest day to depart	Thursday
Priciest day to depart	Sunday
Cheapest day to return	Monday (up to 12% less)
Priciest days to return	Friday and Saturday
When fares start rising	About 2 weeks out (Europe)

Priceline also says a Saturday departure with a Tuesday return often gives the cheapest round-trip price, saving up to 30% when your dates are flexible. Test it against a Thursday departure for your route, since the two rules can point to different days.

When is the best time to book international flights for the lowest fare?

The best time to book international flights for the lowest fare is well before the last two weeks, because Priceline says fares to Europe start rising about 2 weeks before departure and climb from there. For the cheapest trip, combine an early booking with cheaper travel dates: February or March, a Thursday departure and a Monday return, according to Priceline.

How early is early enough depends on when you travel:

• Off-peak months (February and March): fares are usually lowest, so you have more room, but still book before the final two weeks.
• Summer and December holidays: these are the busiest and priciest times to fly, so book earlier to get a choice of flights and times.
• Fixed dates such as a wedding or a festival: book as soon as your dates are firm, because you cannot shift days to chase a cheaper fare.

One habit takes the pressure off timing. US rules require covered airlines to hold a reservation at the quoted fare without payment, or let you cancel without penalty, for at least 24 hours after booking when you book a week or more before departure. If you see a good fare, you can book it and keep checking for a day. Booking sites set their own terms, so read them first. Our guide on when to book flights covers booking windows in more detail.

Best time to book international flights: best deals from the US in 2026

The best deals on international flights from the US in 2026 come from booking at the right time and using a few habits the booking sites themselves recommend.

• Book the cheaper months early, the busy months earlier. February and March travel usually costs least, and December and summer usually cost most, per Priceline.
• Mix one-way tickets. Priceline says booking two one-way flights on different airlines can produce a cheaper round trip.
• Look at mystery deals if you are flexible. Priceline's Express Deals reveal the exact airline and times only after you book, in exchange for discounts Priceline says reach up to 50% off retail fares.
• Count the bags and seats. Basic international fares can leave out a checked bag or seat choice, so compare totals with what you will actually use.
• Check passport and entry rules before you pay. A cheap fare is no use if your passport or visa is not ready for the destination's entry rules.
• Check the day you buy, too. Our cheapest day to buy flights guide covers the day-of-week question in more depth.

CheapOair vs Skyscanner: cheap international flights price comparison for 2026

CheapOair and Skyscanner do different jobs, so the fair comparison is not which one is cheaper but how to use them together. Skyscanner is a flight search site that compares fares and sends you to an airline or booking site to buy. CheapOair sells the ticket itself, along with hotels, car rentals and vacation packages.

What to compare	CheapOair	Skyscanner
What it is	A booking site: you buy the ticket from CheapOair	A flight search site: you buy from the airline or booking site it shows
What you can book	Flights, hotels, car rentals and vacation packages	Flights, hotels and car hire through partner sites
Strongest for	Pricing a specific itinerary and booking it in one place	Seeing which dates, airports and airlines are cheapest
Fees to check	Bag fees and any booking fee shown at checkout	Bag fees and the partner site's own fees
Last step	Book through ShopBack	Book through ShopBack

A simple routine: use Skyscanner to find the cheapest dates and airlines for your route, price the identical flights on CheapOair, and book whichever total is lower. On ShopBack, Skyscanner flight bookings count only when you complete them with certain partner sites, and the current list is on the ShopBack Skyscanner page.

Skyscanner vs CheapOair: best time to book international flights compared

For timing, Skyscanner and CheapOair work best at different moments. Skyscanner is the tool for the research stage, weeks or months before you fly, when you are still choosing dates and airports. CheapOair, or another booking site, is where you lock in the fare once you know what you want, ideally well before the final two weeks that Priceline flags for Europe.

Kayak is another flight search site many travelers use for the same research stage. Whichever search tool you use, the rule is the same: when you are ready to buy, compare the identical flights by total price, then go through ShopBack before you check out.

CheapOair, Skyscanner and Alternative Airlines for cheap international flights

CheapOair, Skyscanner and Alternative Airlines are all on ShopBack US, and each fits a different kind of international trip. Other travel sites US travelers often compare on ShopBack US include Expedia, Trip.com and Priceline.

• CheapOair: flights, hotels, car rentals and vacation packages, useful for comparing many fares and airline combinations on one itinerary. Start from the ShopBack CheapOair page. On ShopBack, CheapOair bookings return a fixed cash amount per eligible booking type, shown on that page.
• Skyscanner: a search site for finding the cheapest dates, airports and airlines before you buy. Start from the ShopBack Skyscanner page and check which partner sites count.
• Alternative Airlines: according to Alternative Airlines, it sells tickets on more than 600 airlines, from major carriers to regional ones, with support by phone, email or WhatsApp. It suits trips that include a smaller airline. Start from the ShopBack Alternative Airlines page.

Book your international flight through ShopBack

Booking through ShopBack lowers the cost of the trip, and you still book on the site you chose. Before you check out, go through ShopBack to get a post-purchase discount on the order. It is the last step in finding a cheap international flight, because it changes what the trip costs you after you pay.

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 you have to save up and redeem.

**The amount is often calculated on the eligible fare, which can leave out taxes and fees.

Illustrative example (fixed amount): CheapOair and Alternative Airlines bookings return a fixed cash amount on ShopBack. At an illustrative $5 on a $950 ticket, the effective price is $945.

The current Cashback is shown on each booking site's ShopBack page before you book.

How to do it:

1. Find your best itinerary and compare it on two or three sites.
2. Open the ShopBack US app, website or browser extension and go to the booking site's page, such as CheapOair, Skyscanner or Alternative Airlines.
3. Tap through and book.
4. Our guide to earning on travel bookings explains each stage.

Using a travel credit card and ShopBack on the same international flight

You may be able to earn your card's travel points and still book through ShopBack on the same flight, because the card's rewards come from the card issuer and follow the issuer's rules. Our guide to ShopBack and credit cards in the US has the details.

Mistakes that make a cheap international flight expensive

• Booking in the last two weeks. Priceline says fares to Europe start rising about 2 weeks out.
• Flying out on a Sunday. Priceline says Sunday tends to be the priciest day for international departures.
• Comparing fares without bags or seats. The cheapest basic fare can cost more once a checked bag is added.
• Comparing different itineraries. Two sites can only be compared on the same flights, times and fare type.
• Paying first and remembering ShopBack later. A booking usually cannot be added afterwards, so start from ShopBack before you book.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I find cheap international flights from the US?

Fly in February or March if you can, which Priceline names as the cheapest months for international flights, and avoid December, the priciest. Search nearby airports at both ends, leave on a Thursday and return on a Monday, compare the same itinerary on two or three sites by total price with bags, and book through ShopBack so the trip costs less after you pay.

When is the best time to book international flights for the lowest fare?

Book well before the final weeks. Priceline says fares to Europe start rising about 2 weeks before departure, so the lowest fares usually go to travelers who book earlier than that, and earlier still for December and summer trips. For the travel dates themselves, Priceline names February and March as the cheapest months and Thursday as the cheapest day to depart.

What is the cheapest month to fly internationally from the US?

According to Priceline's flight guidance at the time of writing, February and March usually offer the best international fares, while December is the priciest. Priceline adds that returning in January can also be costly because of post-holiday demand. Exact fares vary by route and year, so compare live prices for your dates.

What day of the week is cheapest for international flights?

Priceline says Thursday is usually the cheapest day to depart on an international flight and Sunday tends to be the most expensive. For the return, Priceline says a Monday flight home can trim up to 12% off the fare on international routes.

Is CheapOair or Skyscanner better for cheap international flights?

They do different jobs. Skyscanner is a flight search site that compares fares and sends you to an airline or booking site to buy, while CheapOair sells the ticket itself, along with hotels, car rentals and vacation packages. Use Skyscanner to see which dates and airlines are cheapest, price the same flights on CheapOair, and book whichever total is lower through ShopBack.

What is Alternative Airlines good for?

Alternative Airlines says it sells tickets on more than 600 airlines, from major carriers to regional ones, with support by phone, email or WhatsApp. That makes it useful for international trips that include a smaller or regional airline that some booking sites may not sell.

Can I cancel an international flight within 24 hours of booking?

Usually, for airline bookings made a week or more before departure. US rules require covered airlines to either hold a reservation at the quoted fare without payment or let you cancel without penalty for at least 24 hours after booking, and to disclose which option they use. Booking sites set their own terms, so read them before you pay.

Are one-way tickets on different airlines cheaper than a round trip?

Sometimes. Priceline says booking two one-way flights on different airlines can result in a cheaper round trip, and its search suggests these combinations for you. Compare the total, including bags on both airlines, against a normal round trip before you choose.

How does ShopBack lower the price of an international flight?

Booking through ShopBack lowers the cost of the trip, and you still book on the site you chose. Before you check out, go through ShopBack to get a post-purchase discount on the order: part of what you paid comes back as cash once the trip confirms, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

Can I use a travel credit card and ShopBack on the same international flight?

Often you can, because card rewards come from your card issuer and follow the issuer's rules, but it depends on your card's terms and on the booking site's terms shown on its ShopBack page. Some fare types or payment methods can be excluded, so read both before you rely on it.

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Key takeaways

• Priceline names February and March as the cheapest months for international flights and December as the priciest.
• Priceline says Thursday is usually the cheapest international departure day, Sunday the priciest, and a Monday return can trim up to 12%.
• Book well before the last two weeks: Priceline says fares to Europe start rising about 2 weeks out.
• Use Skyscanner to research dates and airlines, then compare the identical flights on CheapOair or Alternative Airlines by total price.
• Book through ShopBack US so the trip costs what you paid minus the cash that comes back.

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Related reads

Book through ShopBack US: Skyscanner · CheapOair · Alternative Airlines

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations in this article are those of the author. Fares, routes, cheapest-day and cheapest-month patterns, partner lists and cancellation terms are set by airlines, search sites and booking sites and can change. The current Cashback is shown on each booking site's ShopBack page before you book.

This article is for general information only and is not professional or financial advice.