Cashback on Flights and Hotels: How to Earn on Travel

Rafael Andrade Baeta

October 6, 2026 · 4 min read

Earn 1% cashback on flights and hotels with Cashi

Cashback on flights and hotels can take a little off the cost of every trip, but the fare and booking conditions still matter more than the reward rate. With Cashi, you can hold your travel money in digital dollars while your local currency moves, and earn 1% back on eligible flights and hotels when you pay. This guide covers how travel cashback works, what Uber offers and how to get the most from each booking.

How to Get Cashback on Flight Bookings (Portals, Cards, Airline Programs)

Travel cashback is money back on eligible travel spending, earned through your card, a shopping portal or a promotion. There are three common ways to get cashback on flights:

Cards reward the payment itself, whether you book with the airline or through a booking site.
Shopping portals pay a reward when you start your booking on their site, but often cover only certain airlines or sites.
Airline programs usually pay miles you redeem later, not cash.

Check whether taxes, bags and seat selection count toward the reward, since some programs only pay on the base fare.

Compare the Full Fare First

Use the same flights, bags and cancellation rules when you compare. A cheaper-looking ticket without the bag you need isn’t the same offer.

Illustrative example: a direct ticket costs $400 and earns 1%, so it costs you $396. A portal ticket costs $420 and earns 4%, so it costs you $403.20. The bigger percentage still gives you the more expensive trip.

Does Uber Offer Cashback?

Does Uber offer cashback? There’s no single worldwide Uber cashback rate, but Uber One members in some markets earn Uber One credits on eligible rides. They spend those credits on future rides or orders rather than receiving them as cash.

Card rewards are a separate question. Many card programs, Cashi included, don’t pay cashback on rides, taxis or food orders. With Cashi, the monthly Uber One membership itself earns 3% as a subscription, but individual trips don’t earn.

Cashback on Rides and Other Travel Spend

On one trip, the taxi, flight, hotel and train can each fall into a different card category. Your card program follows the category the merchant uses, not the reason you’re traveling. That’s why rides, car rentals, cruises, fuel, parking and public transport are often excluded from travel cashback, and they are with Cashi.

Illustrative example: a card pays 1% on a $600 flight but excludes a $40 ride and $30 of parking. Your reward is $6, not 1% of the full $670.

Hotels and car rental desks may also place a deposit hold on top of the booking price, and some want a physical card at check-in. Keep a second payment option for essential costs, and ask about the hold amount before you arrive.

Stacking Travel Rewards

You can often combine a booking discount, card cashback and airline miles on the same trip:

Compare the total trip price first.
Read the booking site’s or promotion’s conditions.
Check that your card rewards the merchant that actually charges you.
Add your airline or hotel loyalty number where the booking allows it.
Check your reward once the booking has settled.

Currency matters too. If the merchant charges in another currency, pay in the local currency rather than accepting the merchant’s offer to convert, since that conversion often adds a markup. With Cashi, US dollar payments have no Cashi fee, and other currencies carry a 1% FX (foreign exchange) conversion fee.

If a trip is canceled or partly refunded, the cashback adjusts to match, so don’t count it until the booking is final.

Earn on Flights and Hotels With Cashi

Book with your Cashi card and get 1% back on eligible flights and hotels, and on bookings through Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia and Trip.com. You can earn up to $20 of travel cashback a month, on bookings of up to $2,000 each. Once a booking settles, claim your cashback from the Reward page in the app, and it becomes Spending Credit that never expires. The Help Center guide to 3-2-1 cashback lists every eligible merchant, and our main guide shows how to spend or cash out crypto.

Get Your Cashi Card

FAQ

How do I get cashback on flights?

Pay with a card that rewards airline purchases, or book through a portal that tracks the booking. With Cashi, eligible airline bookings earn 1%.

Does Cashi give cashback on Uber rides?

No. Rides and food orders don’t earn, but the monthly Uber One membership earns 3% as a subscription.

How much travel cashback can I earn with Cashi?

Up to $20 a month, on eligible bookings of up to $2,000 each. Hotel charges under $20 don’t earn.

How do I receive my Cashi cashback?

Claim it from the Reward page in the app once the booking settles. It then becomes Spending Credit you can use on any card payment, and it never expires.