What's the Cheapest Day to Buy Flights in the US? (2026 Data)
The cheapest day to buy flights in the US in 2026 is usually at the weekend for domestic trips (Saturday in Expedia's 2026 data, about 2% below Monday) and Friday across all trips (3% below Sunday). The day you fly, the month and how far ahead you book move the price far more, and going through ShopBack before you book on Expedia or Priceline lowers the effective price.
Published: 8 October 2026 · Last updated: 8 October 2026 · Author: Trang Do, Beauty Editor, ShopBack US
The cheapest day to buy flights in the US in 2026 is usually at the weekend for domestic trips: Expedia's 2026 Air Hacks data found Saturday about 2% cheaper than Monday, and Friday the cheapest day overall, about 3% below Sunday. The bigger savings come from the day you fly (Tuesday ran 14% below Sunday for domestic trips), the month, and booking 15 to 30 days out.
So the day you click "buy" moves the price a little. When you fly, and how far ahead you book, move it a lot more. This guide puts the 2026 numbers from Expedia and Priceline side by side, then shows how to lower the price of the fare you pick.
ShopBack US is a free cashback app and website. Before you book on Expedia, Priceline or Skyscanner, open the store through ShopBack, then book as usual, and part of what you spend comes back as cash you can withdraw. Join ShopBack US free here.
What's the cheapest day to buy flights?
For US domestic flights, the weekend is usually the cheapest time to buy, but the gap is small: about 2 to 3%. Here is what the two big US booking sites say, each in their own words.
| Source | Cheapest day to book | Size of the saving |
|---|---|---|
| Expedia 2026 Air Hacks, US domestic | Saturday (Monday most expensive) | About 2% |
| Expedia 2026 Air Hacks, all trips | Friday (Sunday most expensive) | About 3% |
| Expedia 2026 Air Hacks, business class | Saturday (Thursday most expensive) | About 1% |
| Priceline flights guide, US domestic | Saturday or Sunday (prices climb on Mondays) | 2 to 3% against peak days |
| Priceline flights guide, international | Tuesday often lowest | Priceline says not enough to call it a hack |
Expedia's 2026 figures are based on bookings made on Expedia.com from December 2024 to November 2025, according to the report's data notes. Priceline's figures come from its own flights page at the time of writing.
The takeaway: if you are ready to book on a weekend, do it. If the fare looks good on a Wednesday, do not wait four days for a 2% saving that may not show up on your route.
Cheapest day to buy flights in 2026: what changed
The "best day to book" has moved in recent years, which is a sign the effect is small and shifts with demand. In its 2025 Air Hacks report (January 2025), Expedia said Sunday was the cheapest day to book for the third year in a row, with domestic travelers saving 6% and international travelers 17% against booking on a Monday or Friday. In its 2026 report (February 2026), Friday took over as the cheapest day overall to both book and fly.
Expedia's explanation for 2026 is that business travelers now head home earlier in the week, which frees up cheaper seats later in the week. It also found:
- Average US domestic ticket prices up 3% and international down 2% year on year.
- Average US domestic first-class fares down 27%.
- Tuesday is the least busy day to fly and Friday the busiest; February is the least busy month and July the busiest.
Cheapest day to fly, which matters more
The day you fly moves the price more than the day you book. In Expedia's 2026 data, Tuesday was the cheapest day to depart on US domestic trips, averaging 14% less than Sunday. Across all trips, flying on a Friday instead of a Sunday saved about 8%.
Priceline's flights page says much the same in different words:
- Departing: Thursday, Friday or Saturday can save up to 12% on domestic airfare compared with peak departure days. For international flights, Thursday is the cheapest day to fly and Sunday tends to be the most expensive.
- Returning: Friday and Saturday are typically the most expensive days to fly home, and a Monday return can trim as much as 12% off the fare, on both domestic and international routes.
- Round trips: departing on a Saturday and returning on a Tuesday often gives the cheapest round-trip pricing, which Priceline says can save up to 30% if your dates are flexible.
If your dates can move by a day or two, start there before worrying about the day you click buy.
Cheapest month and booking window: the US 2026 price data
August was the cheapest month to fly overall in Expedia's 2026 data, about 29% cheaper than December, or around $120 per ticket. January was the cheapest month for US domestic flights, about 19% cheaper than December. Expedia also found July the cheapest month to book, 18% cheaper than December.
| Question | Expedia 2026 Air Hacks | Priceline flights guide |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest month to fly, domestic | January (19% below December) | September, then February |
| Cheapest month to fly, overall or international | August (29% below December) | February and March for international |
| Most expensive month | December | December, March and June for domestic |
| Best booking window, domestic | 15 to 30 days out, about $130 less than 180+ days | Prices typically start rising 3 to 4 weeks out |
| Best booking window, international | 31 to 45 days out saves about $190 against six months out; 8 to 15 days out can be the best value, about $225 less on average | Europe prices start rising about 2 weeks out |
The two sources disagree on the cheapest domestic month because they measure different bookings over different periods. Use them as a starting point, then check your own route across a whole month before you book.
Your departure airport matters too. Expedia found Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas and Orlando the most affordable mainstream US airports to fly from, with average fares about 25% below the national average, and Washington Dulles, San Francisco and New York's JFK the most expensive.
Best flight deals in the US for 2026: how to find them
The best flight deals in the US usually come from flexible dates, a deal-flagging tool and booking inside the right window. The tools each site offers:
- Expedia Flight Deals. Expedia says its Flight Deals tool in the app shows flights from your chosen airport priced at least 20% lower than the typical predicted price for that route, with a map and deal alerts. In its 2026 report, July, October and November were the travel months with the most deals available.
- Priceline Express Deals. Priceline describes these as mystery deals: you choose the general flight time and destination and see the possible airlines and number of stops, and in exchange for up to 50% off retail fares, the exact details are shown only after booking. Priceline also says its deals engine can pair two one-way flights on different airlines when that is cheaper.
- Priceline VIP. Priceline's free loyalty programme moves you up tiers with completed trips: Blue at 2 trips, Gold at 5 trips (or with the Priceline Rewards Visa card), Platinum at 20. Benefits listed on Priceline's VIP page are mostly hotel and car discounts and Express Deal coupons after each trip.
- Skyscanner month view and price alerts. Skyscanner compares fares across many airlines and booking sites. Looking at a whole month for your route, and setting a price alert, is the simplest way to find your own cheapest day.
Expedia vs Priceline: cheapest day to buy flights compared
Expedia and Priceline point to similar timing: weekend booking for domestic flights, midweek or late-week flying, and booking a few weeks out. Where they differ is in the tools.
| Expedia | Priceline | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest day to book (domestic) | Saturday, per its 2026 data | Saturday or Sunday |
| Cheapest day to fly (domestic) | Tuesday | Thursday, Friday or Saturday departures |
| Own deal tool | Flight Deals (at least 20% below typical price) | Express Deals (up to 50% off retail fares, details after booking) |
| Loyalty programme | One Key | Priceline VIP (free) |
| Best for | Seeing a flagged deal on a known flight | Flexible travelers happy to see the airline after paying |
For any one trip, search the same flight on both sites on the same day and pick the lower total, including bags and seat fees.
Expedia, Priceline and Skyscanner for US flights
Use Skyscanner to find the cheapest dates, then compare the final fare on Expedia and Priceline before you book. Skyscanner is a fare comparison site owned by Trip.com Group, so it is useful for spotting the cheapest day across a month. Expedia and Priceline are where many US travelers then book, and both also sell hotels, cars and packages.
Other travel booking sites on ShopBack US include Trip.com, Booking.com, Hotels.com and Agoda.
A simple order of steps:
- Find your cheapest dates with Skyscanner's month view or Expedia's Flight Deals.
- Check flexible days. Try a Tuesday or Friday departure and a Monday return.
- Compare the same flight on Expedia and Priceline, including bags.
- Go through ShopBack, then book. Open the ShopBack Expedia page or the ShopBack Priceline page, tap through and book in the same session.
- Use the 24-hour window. Under US Department of Transportation rules (14 CFR 259.5), covered airlines must let you hold a booking at the quoted fare, or cancel it without penalty, for at least 24 hours if you book a week or more before departure. Booking sites set their own terms, so read them first.
How ShopBack lowers the price of the fare you pick
ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. You open Expedia, Priceline or Skyscanner from its ShopBack US page, book as you normally would, and once the booking is confirmed, part of what you spent comes back to your ShopBack account as cash.
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. Priceline also says you can still earn your airline's frequent flyer miles when you book flights through it.
A worked example, with an illustrative rate only: on a $400 round trip at an illustrative 3%, $12 comes back, so the effective price is $388. Flights often have different terms from hotels, so check the live rate and what qualifies on the ShopBack Expedia page, the ShopBack Priceline page or the ShopBack Skyscanner page before you book.
Booking a hotel for the same trip? Before you book a hotel on Booking.com or Agoda, go through ShopBack first, then book as usual. Treat it as part of booking the whole trip, from the flight to the room, and check each store's ShopBack page for what qualifies.
Frequently asked questions
What's the cheapest day to buy flights?
For US domestic flights, the weekend is usually cheapest to buy: Expedia's 2026 Air Hacks data found Saturday about 2% cheaper than Monday, and Priceline says Saturday or Sunday can save 2 to 3% against peak days. Across all of Expedia's bookings, Friday was cheapest, about 3% below Sunday. The day you fly matters more than the day you buy.
What is the cheapest day to fly in the US?
For US domestic trips, Tuesday was the cheapest day to depart in Expedia's 2026 Air Hacks data, averaging 14% less than Sunday. Across all trips, Friday was cheapest, about 8% below Sunday. Priceline says departing Thursday, Friday or Saturday can save up to 12% on domestic fares against peak days.
What is the cheapest month to fly?
In Expedia's 2026 Air Hacks data, August was the cheapest month to travel overall, about 29% cheaper than December (around $120 per ticket), and January was the cheapest month for US domestic trips, about 19% cheaper than December. Priceline names September, then February, as the cheapest months for domestic US travel.
How far in advance should I book a flight?
Expedia's 2026 data puts the cheapest window for domestic economy at 15 to 30 days before departure, averaging $130 less than booking more than six months out. For international economy, booking 31 to 45 days ahead saved about $190 against six months out. Priceline says domestic fares typically start rising 3 to 4 weeks before departure.
Is it cheaper to book flights on Tuesday?
Not for US domestic flights in recent data. Expedia's 2026 report found Saturday the cheapest day to book domestic flights, and Priceline calls the day-of-booking effect small. Tuesday matters more as a day to fly: it was the cheapest domestic departure day in Expedia's 2026 data and the least busy day to fly.
Is Expedia or Priceline cheaper for flights?
It depends on the route and date, so compare both for the same flight. Expedia offers a Flight Deals tool that flags fares at least 20% below the usual price for a route. Priceline offers Express Deals, which it says can be up to 50% off retail fares, with the exact airline and times shown only after you book.
Does Skyscanner show the cheapest day to fly?
Skyscanner, part of Trip.com Group, compares fares across airlines and booking sites. Its month view lets you see prices across a whole month for a route, and price alerts tell you when a fare changes, which helps you pick the cheapest dates before you book.
Can I cancel a flight within 24 hours?
Under US Department of Transportation rules (14 CFR 259.5), airlines covered by the rule 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. Booking sites set their own terms, so check them before you pay.
Can I get cash back on flights?
Often, yes. Expedia, Priceline and Skyscanner are on ShopBack US. Open the store's ShopBack page, tap through and book in the same session, and part of what you spend comes back as cash once the booking is confirmed. Flights can have different terms from hotels, so check the live rate and terms on the store's ShopBack page.
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. Priceline says you can still earn your airline's frequent flyer miles on flights booked through it.
Key takeaways
- For US domestic flights, the weekend is usually the cheapest time to buy, but only by about 2 to 3%.
- The day you fly matters more: Tuesday ran 14% below Sunday for domestic trips in Expedia's 2026 data.
- January (domestic) and August (overall) were Expedia's cheapest months in 2026; Priceline points to September and February for domestic trips.
- Book domestic flights about 15 to 30 days out, per Expedia's 2026 data.
- Go through ShopBack US before you book on Expedia, Priceline or Skyscanner so the effective price drops.
Related reads
Book travel through ShopBack US: Expedia · Priceline · Skyscanner · Trip.com · Booking.com · Agoda · Hotels.com
Disclaimer
The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Fare data comes from Expedia's 2026 and 2025 Air Hacks reports and Priceline's flights page as published; airfares, booking-site tools, loyalty programme terms and cashback rates change over time. Check the live 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.
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