There’s a long-running legend in travel circles that goes something like this: if you search for flights online and then come back later, the price mysteriously goes up. And the cause? Supposedly, the site remembers you were interested and punishes you for not booking right away. The “solution,” according to internet folklore? Use incognito mode.
It’s a myth that refuses to die.
While browsing for flights to Tokyo, I stumbled across this gem of an ad from Expedia:
“Incognito Mode Not Necessary.” Well, someone is leaning into the myth.
But here’s the thing: the most obvious reason is usually the correct one. Flight prices fluctuate frequently because airline inventory is constantly changing. If you search for a flight Monday night and come back Tuesday morning and the price went up, the likeliest explanation isn’t that Big Travel is spying on you—it’s that someone else bought a seat in that fare bucket.
Still, that hasn’t stopped the whispers.
Even travel expert Peter Greenberg dipped into the incognito pool. In a 2021 post, he described his test, where he searched for a flight one night, and the price increased the next morning. Now, he didn’t outright claim it was a conspiracy—but let’s just say, he’s not above hitting Ctrl+Shift+N before booking.
And if Peter’s take isn’t enough, the New York Post just weighed in with their own exposé-slash-clickbait:
“Will clearing your search history make flight prices cheaper? Experts reveal the surprising truth.”
The TL;DR? Clearing cookies might change things, but not because you’re being tracked and punished. It’s more about how dynamic pricing works, what device you’re using, and what time you search. But hey, if the Post says there’s a “surprising truth,” who are we to argue?
Honestly, I’ve already covered this whole topic before.
So no, I don’t think there’s a vast pricing conspiracy. But will it hurt you to switch to incognito or try a different device when booking flights? Not at all. It might not change the price, but it could give you peace of mind—and sometimes that’s worth more than saving $20.
As for Expedia? Cute try.
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