Whether it's a $352 roundtrip flight to Tokyo, or a Delta One Business Class flight to Europe for 97,000 SkyMiles, the flight deals we've been finding have been incredibly good so far in 2026 … and that shows no sign of stopping!
So what's the key to finding the best flight deals? It's constantly searching thousands upon thousands of airfares. If this sounds like a lot of work, it is. We have a team of a dozen flight deal analysts searching 24/7 for our Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal alert subscribers every day.
It's a labor of love helping our subscribers get the best flight deals. The year isn't even a quarter through, and 2026 is already shaping up to be one of the best years of deals yet. Take a look and see for yourself.
✈️ These deals were sent to Thrifty Traveler Premium members the moment we found them – and often disappeared within hours.
We’re having our biggest sale of the year: Join now with promo code CHEAP and get your first full year of deal alerts for $90.99 (normally $129)! Premium gets you instant flight deal alerts from your home airport, step-by-step booking instructions – plus a 100-day money-back guarantee. Start Saving Now
1. All of Europe for 22K Delta SkyMiles RT!
Delta SkyMiles flash sales to Europe are arguably the best value you can get for your miles, period. Many trips will cost you $800 or more even in basic economy. So when Delta slashes its SkyMiles rates instead, we always notify our subscribers.
The lowest rates on these big Delta sales are typically in basic economy, which means you can't pick a seat or check a bag for free. But not this one: These rates – of as low as 22,000 SkyMiles – were all in Main Cabin economy, flying from more than 150 U.S. cities to Europe earlier this year~!
Get the next amazing deal with Thrifty Traveler Premium – it’s 30% off your first year with promo code “CHEAP”
Main Cabin fares mean you get free seat assignment, free changes, and even a checked bag included in your fare when flying to Europe. It was the best deal of the year so far. But there are plenty more worth pointing out!
2. Delta One to Europe in Summer for 97K Delta SkyMiles
Yes, another SkyMiles deal. Because in a stellar year of flight deals, Delta miles (somehow) stand above the rest.
A few months after that Europe economy deal, Delta ran an equally awesome sale on its seats in the front of the plane … but this was no ordinary sale. You could book a Delta One seat from the U.S. to Europe for 115,000 SkyMiles from nearly every Delta city in the country – coming down to just 97,000 each way with the 15% off discount with the SkyMiles credit card!
3. Qatar QSuites from to the Maldives, Africa, & SE Asia from 54K Points Each Way
Qatar Qsuites are the best business class seats in the sky, bar none. The stylish seats, the warm service, and the wonderful airport experience in Doha (DOH) have created a well-deserved reputation. But that comes at a cost: It's gotten harder than ever to book using points and miles.
But we found some wide-open award space – a true rarity for Qsuites – earlier this year for a trip next January through May, all thanks to a route addition from Philadelphia (PHL). Plus, if you took advantage of a transfer bonus at the time, you could get a seat to Doha (DOH) from just 54,000 points each way!
4. West Coast to Asia from $352 Roundtrip!
These fares were coming in at mistake fare levels! Philippine Airlines apparently lost their minds for a day earlier this year, running a sale on flights from its West Coast hubs over to Asia starting at just $352 roundtrip!
Get the next amazing deal with Thrifty Traveler Premium – it’s 30% off your first year with promo code “CHEAP”
5. Australia & New Zealand from 25K SkyMiles Roundtrip!
It's impossible that this deal is this low on the list, because a 25,000-SkyMile flight to Australia or New Zealand … roundtrip … is truly crazy. This deal included Brisbane (BNE), Sydney (SYD), and Auckland (AKL) availability for your next trip.
This was one of the best SkyMiles flash sales of all time, but in a year of incredible SkyMiles deals and other great fares, it dips to fifth on the list.
The Rest of the Top 10
Not every deal can crack the top five, but there have been so many exceptional flight deals in 2026 that we wanted to showcase just a few more.
6. Delta One to Tokyo from 85K SkyMiles
The Delta SkyMiles hits just keep coming this year as the airline also offered a sale on its most coveted routes to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) over the summer! The lowest rate (with a SkyMiles card discount) came down a hair below 80,000 SkyMiles each way from Seattle (SEA) and only a few dozen more miles each way from several other Delta cities and hubs.
7. Nonstop to Europe from $350 RT
Remember when fares could get this low before jet fuel prices spiked? Those were the days! We found that nearly all the nonstop flights from the U.S. to Europe dropped in price at the beginning of the year, leading to one of the most memorable sales ever with dozens of nonstop routes under $500 roundtrip on your favorite U.S. airlines!
8. Nonstop to Hawaii from $196 Roundtrip
This sale only happens a few times a year, but it's a doozy. These Alaska Airlines fares from the west coast to Hawaii would cost you only $196 roundtrip when we sent the deal this winter.
9. Qantas Biz Class to Australia or New Zealand from 80K Miles
For some of the longest flights in the world, it's worth a little luxury. That's doubly true when that luxury only costs 80,000 miles each way! We found availability to fly from New York City (JFK) to Auckland (AKL) and from Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD).
10. Japan Airlines Business Class for 60K Miles
Japan Airlines business class is one of the best rides to Tokyo, and you can still book these seats for just 60,000 AAdvantage miles each way … if you can find availability at those rates. We did, including plenty of dates bookable from San Diego (SAN), San Francisco (SFO), Vancouver (YVR), and beyond.
Get the next amazing deal with Thrifty Traveler Premium – it’s 30% off your first year with promo code “CHEAP”
How Thrifty Traveler Premium Works
So, how do we find these deals? And, most importantly, how do we let you know about them?
- First, our team of flight deal analysts and experts search from more than 200 U.S. and Canadian airports for the best Delta SkyMiles deals around the clock.
- Second, when we find something good, we vet the deal – making sure that it's bookable, that there's no “catch” or “trap,” and that it's a fare that we would book ourselves.
- Third, we put together a flight deal alert and send it to your inbox – and for the rarest deals, you'll get a “Unicorn Alert” text message, too! You can also log in to your account to see the deal info and any other deal we've sent.
- Fourth: You book the deal! This is what you've been hoarding SkyMiles for – a sizzling deal worth your hard-earned miles.
And that's it! We're not travel agents and we don't work with the airlines. We just find the deals Delta doesn't want you to know about and alert you to them so you can get maximum value out of your stash of miles.
Plus, we offer a 100-day money-back guarantee for first-time subscribers. If you're not loving the deals you get, you can cancel for a full refund – no questions asked!
Bottom Line
Flight deals have been incredibly good so far in 2026, but we think they're only going to get better for our Thrifty Traveler Premium members.
Start getting flight deal alerts, and remember: Our 100-day money back guarantee means you can try our alerts risk-free!
Get Thrifty Traveler Premium now!
I have miles on United. Iah or Msy are my closest big airports. I live in lft I don’t see any mention of United Would it make sense for me to sign up?
Can’t wait to travel more. It’s impossible to go on those long flights in coach.