Can I Get Cashback on Flights in the US in 2026?

Published: 8 October 2026 · Last updated: 8 October 2026 · Author: Mirabelle Chew, ShopBack

ShopBack US is a free website and app that returns part of what you spend at partner stores and travel sites as cash. You start from the store's ShopBack page, book on the site you already chose, and the cash comes back after the booking is confirmed. You can sign up for ShopBack in a couple of minutes before you book.

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Can I get cashback on flights?

Yes. Flights are one of the travel booking types ShopBack US covers, through booking sites and through some airlines directly. At the time of writing, this is how flights appear on each store's ShopBack US page:

Where you book	Flights on its ShopBack US page	What to check first
Expedia	Listed as "Flight"	Live rate and the store terms on the Expedia page
Priceline	Listed as "Retail Flights" and "Flight Express Deal"	Live rate for each flight type
Trip.com	Listed as "International / Domestic Flights"	Live rate and the Terms section on the Trip.com page
CheapOair	Listed as "Airfare Ticket"	Live rate and terms
Airlines	Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines have their own pages	Live rate on each airline's page

Source: each store's page on ShopBack US, at the time of writing. Rates and booking types change, so check the live page before you book.

Save on your trip by booking flights, hotels and activities through ShopBack. The habit is simple: open ShopBack, then open the site you were going to book on anyway.

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Cashback flights: how it works, step by step

Getting cash back on a flight takes about a minute more than booking normally, and the order matters, because ShopBack can only track a booking that starts from ShopBack.

1. Compare first. Search the same route, dates and cabin on two sites. Note the total with bags and seat fees, not just the headline fare.
2. Open ShopBack. Go to the store's page on ShopBack US, for example Expedia, Priceline or Trip.com, and check the live rate.
3. Go through to the site and book in the same visit. ShopBack's tips say to start from ShopBack for every new booking, accept the site's cookies, and avoid other coupon or ad links, which can stop a booking from tracking.
4. Fly. The cash usually shows as tracked soon after booking and is confirmed after your trip, according to the cashback timeline on each store's ShopBack page.
5. Withdraw it. Once confirmed, the cash sits in your ShopBack account and you can withdraw it.

Two rules are worth knowing: taxes and fees are usually not counted, and cancelled, refunded or no-show bookings do not earn cash. The Terms section on each store's ShopBack page has the details.

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Cashback flights 2026: what airfares are doing

US airfares have climbed in 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS airline fares index (series CUUR0000SETG01, US city average, not seasonally adjusted) shows how prices move, not a dollar fare:

Month	2025 index	2026 index
January	265.3	271.2
February	262.1	280.6
March	252.6	290.2
April	255.6	308.5
May	260.3	329.8
June	255.9	323.8
July	247.9	311.2
August	251.0	309.7

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI airline fares, at the time of writing.

What that means for a 2026 booking:

• Fares are well up on a year ago. The August 2026 index was about 23% higher than August 2025.
• Spring was the 2026 peak. May 2026 was the highest month shown, about 22% above January 2026.
• The cash back moves with the fare. Because it is worked out on the fare, a higher fare means more cash back at the same rate.

ShopBack lowers the effective price of flights, hotels and online orders after you pay, which is why it belongs in the booking routine in a year like this.

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Cashback flights: best deals for US travelers in 2026

The best flight deals usually come from booking at the right time, using each site's own programme, and going through ShopBack before you pay. These are the official features each company describes, at the time of writing:

• Priceline. Priceline says its Express Deals can be up to 50% off retail fares, with the airline and exact details shown only after booking. It says US domestic fares typically begin rising 3 to 4 weeks before departure, fares to Europe about 2 weeks out, and that its deals engine can build round trips from two one-way tickets on different airlines. Priceline VIP is its free membership programme, and Priceline says members still earn their airline's frequent flier miles.
• Expedia. Expedia's One Key programme is free and shared with Hotels.com and Vrbo. Members can earn OneKeyCash on eligible bookings, and you can bundle a flight with a hotel or car.
• Trip.com. Trip.com sells international and domestic flights to US travelers in US dollars, alongside hotels, trains and car rentals, and runs its own free membership programme.

A US rule that helps you compare. Under 14 CFR 259.5, airlines must let you hold a reservation at the quoted fare without payment, or cancel without penalty, for at least 24 hours when you book one week or more before departure. Booking sites set their own cancellation terms, so check them before you pay.

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Expedia vs Priceline: cashback flights price comparison for 2026

Neither Expedia nor Priceline is cheaper every time for the same flight, so compare the total on both, then compare the effective price after the cash ShopBack returns. The effective price is what you pay minus the cash that comes back.

	Expedia	Priceline
Flights on its ShopBack US page	Listed as "Flight"	Listed as "Retail Flights" and "Flight Express Deal"
Discounted opaque option	Not covered here	Express Deals, airline shown after booking
Bundle a flight with a hotel or car	Yes	Yes
Free membership programme	One Key, shared with Hotels.com and Vrbo	Priceline VIP

Source: ShopBack US store pages and each company's own pages, at the time of writing.

How to run the comparison in five minutes:

1. Search the same route, dates, times and cabin on both sites.
2. Add bags and seat fees to each total.
3. Open both store pages on ShopBack US and note the live rate for flights.
4. Work out the effective price for each.
5. If the two are within a few dollars, pick the one with better change and cancellation terms.

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Expedia, Priceline and Trip.com for US flights

All three sell domestic and international flights, so the choice usually comes down to the route, how flexible you are and which programme you already use.

• Expedia suits travelers who collect One Key on hotels and want the flight on the same trip.
• Priceline suits flexible travelers who are happy with an Express Deal or a round trip built from two one-way tickets.
• Trip.com suits travelers who want flights, hotels and trains in one app, including international routes.

Other places to book flights in the same category: CheapOair has its own ShopBack US page, and so do airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines. For the hotel at the other end, Booking.com and Hotels.com are on ShopBack US too.

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What the cash back looks like on a flight

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.

As an illustration only: on a $400 fare at an illustrative 3%, $12 comes back, so the effective price is $388. The real rate changes and can differ by site and by flight type, so check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page before you book.

Things that change the final number:

• Taxes and fees are usually not counted. The cash is usually worked out on the fare; the Terms section on each store's ShopBack page sets out what counts.
• Changes can reset tracking. A change that creates a new booking number may not earn cash, so rebook from ShopBack if you need to start over.
• Promo codes matter. Codes that are not shown on ShopBack can stop a booking from tracking, so check the store's ShopBack page before you use one.

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ShopBack US: what it is and how you are paid

ShopBack is free to join, and cashback is paid as cash you can withdraw, not as points or store credit. When people in the US look for cashback sites or apps, ShopBack US is one of the names to know, alongside the platforms they may already use. For travel it covers booking sites such as Expedia, Priceline and Trip.com, airlines such as Emirates and Qatar Airways, and hotel sites such as Booking.com and Hotels.com. Make it the step you take every time, just before you pay.

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Paying with a travel card

Usually you can pay for a flight with your travel rewards card and still go through ShopBack, because the two come from different providers. Your card's points or cash come from your card issuer, and ShopBack's cash comes from booking through ShopBack. Airline miles from the flight itself are separate again. Member prices, airline promotions and codes have their own rules, so check the merchant's terms on the store's ShopBack page, and your card issuer's terms, before you count on all of them.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I get cashback on flights?

Yes. In the US you can get cashback on flights when you go through ShopBack before you book. At the time of writing, ShopBack US lists flights as a booking type on its Expedia, Priceline and Trip.com pages, and airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines have their own ShopBack pages. The cash is usually worked out on the fare, confirmed after you fly, and paid as cash you can withdraw.

Which sites give cashback on flights in the US?

At the time of writing, the ShopBack US pages for Expedia, Priceline, Trip.com and CheapOair list flights as a booking type, and Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines have their own pages. Check the live rate and terms on each store's ShopBack page before you book.

Is Expedia or Priceline cheaper for flights?

Neither is cheaper every time. Search the same route, dates and cabin on both on the same day, compare the total with bags and seat fees, then compare the effective price, which is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns, using the live rate on each store's ShopBack page.

Can I get cashback on Trip.com flights?

Yes, at the time of writing the ShopBack US Trip.com page lists international and domestic flights as a booking type. Some ticket types and add-ons may be treated differently, so read the Terms section on the Trip.com page on ShopBack before you book.

Can I get cashback on Priceline Express Deals flights?

Yes, at the time of writing the ShopBack US Priceline page lists Flight Express Deal as a booking type alongside retail flights. Priceline says Express Deals are discounted fares where the exact airline and times are shown only after you book.

Can I get cashback by booking directly with an airline?

With some airlines. At the time of writing, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines have their own ShopBack US pages. For other airlines, book the same flight on a booking site such as Expedia, Priceline or Trip.com through ShopBack.

Do taxes and fees count toward the cash I get back?

Usually not. Store terms on ShopBack US for travel sites usually leave out taxes, service charges and booking fees, so the cash is usually worked out on the fare itself. The Terms section on each store's ShopBack page sets out what counts.

What happens to the cash if I cancel my flight within 24 hours?

A cancelled or refunded booking does not earn cash, according to the store terms on ShopBack US. Under US rules in 14 CFR 259.5, airlines must either let you hold a reservation at the quoted fare without payment or let you cancel it without penalty for at least 24 hours, when you book one week or more before departure. This applies to bookings made with the airline; booking sites set their own terms. If you rebook, start again from ShopBack.

When should I book a domestic flight to pay less?

According to Priceline, US domestic fares typically begin rising 3 to 4 weeks before departure and then rise quickly, while fares to Europe start rising about 2 weeks out. Booking earlier than that, and through ShopBack, usually lowers what you pay.

Is cashback 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 are separate and follow the airline's own programme rules.

Is ShopBack free to use in the US?

Yes. ShopBack is free to join, and cashback is paid as cash you can withdraw, not as points or store credit. You can sign up on the ShopBack US website or app before you book your next flight.

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Key takeaways

• You can get cashback on flights in the US by going through ShopBack before you book on Expedia, Priceline, Trip.com or an airline with its own ShopBack page.
• US airfares in August 2026 were about 23% above August 2025, according to BLS data.
• Priceline says domestic fares typically start rising 3 to 4 weeks before departure.
• The cash is usually worked out on the fare, not taxes and fees, and is confirmed after you fly.
• Compare sites on the effective price: what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns.

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Related reads

Book flights through ShopBack US: Expedia · Priceline · Trip.com · CheapOair · Emirates · Qatar Airways · Etihad Airways · Singapore Airlines · Turkish Airlines

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Airfares, fees, change and cancellation terms, membership benefits and the booking types listed on each store's ShopBack page vary by airline, site, route and time and are subject to change. Cashback rates on ShopBack vary by store, booking type and campaign; check the current rate and terms on each store's ShopBack page before you book.

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