What is the Best Time to Book a Flight and How Far in Advance You Should Book for the Cheapest Price

Planning a trip and trying to find the cheapest flight can be time consuming and sometimes frustrating. To make matters worse, there a lot of theories and studies floating as to what is the best day to book a flight, how many days in advance you should plan, and the best day to travel.

In addition to addressing some of these theories, I’m going to give you a few tips to use when looking for the most budget-friendly flight.

The Best Time to Book A Flight

Some believe that you can get the cheapest airfare by booking your flight four to six months in advance, while some believe that booking three weeks is optimal. Then there are others who suggest that booking a last minute or same day flight will save you the biggest bucks.

The Best Day of the Week to Book a Flight for the Cheapest Price

For a long time, the general consensus was that Tuesday was the best day to purchase a cheap flight. But that’s no longer the case. A study by CheapAir.com rejects the commonly held belief that certain days of the week are better for purchasing a flight. According to the study, “the average fares purchased each day are virtually identical.” In fact the study found that “the average low fare only varies by about $1,” regardless of the day of the week. So despite all those “book on Tuesday” myths, the day of the week you buy your tickets does not have a significant effect on the price of your ticket. However, the day that you chose to fly does matter.

The Best Day to Fly for the Cheapest Price

The CheapAir analysis concluded that Tuesday and Wednesday are the most inexpensive days to travel. On those days, you’ll save an average of $73 per ticket. Sunday is the most expensive. Expedia and the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) also conducted a study of worldwide air travel trends. Their study found that the cheapest day to travel domestically depends on the airport, but internationally, Thursday and Friday are best.

Based on my travel experience, I’ve found this to be true. Whether I fly domestically or internationally, I generally try to fly on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. If I can, I always try to avoid flying on the weekend as I find that the airfare is much more expensive.

Last Minute and Same Day Flights for the Cheapest Price

Airlines usually offer a fixed number of cheap seats on each flight. Once those seats sell the price increases. Therefore, the earlier you book your flight, the less you pay. But this is not always the case. You could save a lot of money on long-haul flights by booking at the last minute or by booking a same day flight. In fact, according to Cheapoair.com, most of the time same-day flights are cheaper than booking in advance if you’re willing to fly standby.

However, there are no guarantees that prices will fall in the weeks leading up to a flight. Likewise, there is no assurance that a same day flight will cost less than a flight booked in advanced. If there is a high demand route on the day you decide to buy a flight, the airline will likely raise the prices as high as they can and you might end up paying a premium. But when airlines do drop their prices, the savings can be substantial.

Personally, I’ve never booked any same day flights. I’d be too afraid to risk not getting a seat on the plane and wasting some of my precious vacation time at the airport.  But if you need to get somewhere far away on very short notice or you want to go on a spontaneous adventure the risk may be worth it.

If you do decide to book a last minute or same day flight in hopes of getting a great deal, flexibility is key. It helps if you’re willing to fly at undesirable times like 5am or very late at night. Securing a last-minute bargain is also much easier if you avoid trying to fly during the most popular travel times and holidays. Instead, look for flights during a destination’s low season when airlines will have more empty seats.

Booking Three Weeks to Four Months in Advance for the Cheapest Flights

How many days in advance you should book your flight? It depends. In general, CheapAir found that you will find the cheapest domestic economy fares, if you book flights during the “Prime Booking Window,” which is three weeks to four months (or 21 to 121 days) in advance of your departure date. The CheapAir study claims that this window consistently yields fares within 5% of the lowest ticket price.

Clearly, this is a large period of time. If you pin down what season you’d like to travel, you can get a better idea of when to purchase your flight. For fall and winter trips, the CheapAir study suggests that you’ll want to book 62 to 69 days in advance, respectively. And for spring vacations, you’ll typically score a good deal 90 days ahead of your trip. Summer trips offer the best fares when booked 47 days in advance.

However, keep in mind that all these numbers are based on averages. While they provide useful estimates, no one—except the airlines—know the perfect time to book a flight. This is because the best time to book a flight for the cheapest price is dependent on numerous factors, including your destination, when you plan to travel, and whether you are booking a domestic or international flight. 

Tips for Finding the Cheapest Flights

In addition to using the estimates above, here are a few strategies that you can use to find the cheapest flights. These tips are sure to help find great deals for your post-COVID travels.

1. Research the peak and off-peak seasons for your travel destination.

One of the best tactics you can use to score a bargain flight is schedule our flight during the shoulder season or off-season for your travel destination. This is typically right after summer and through the first two weeks of December. The second cheapest time of the year to fly seems to be after January. During this time, there are fewer crowds, but the weather is still enjoyable in most places.

2. Be flexible about the day you travel.

Play around with your departure and return dates.  As you change the dates, you’ll be surprised how much the price of your flight drops. You don’t have to be flexible with your entire flight. Sometimes altering just one leg of your flight can make a huge difference.

Assuming the findings by CheapAir and Expedia are accurate, you’ll save the most if you fly mid-week.

3.  Take flights connecting-stops for a better deal.

Based on my experience, flights with connecting stops are usually cheaper than direct flights. Sure, direct flights are more convenient. But if you want to save money, connecting flights are generally the way to go. So make sure you compare the price of a non-stop flight with the price of a connecting flight before you swipe your credit card.

4. Compare airlines for the cheapest flight.

I always compare airline fare before purchasing a flight. But I find that many people don’t do this because they have a favorite airline and/or they want to accumulate points on a travel card. But, if saving money is your primary objective it’s imperative to compare airline prices before defaulting to your favorite carrier.

5. Don’t book your flight too early or too late.

If you buy too early or too late, you could pay too much. So drill down what season you’d like to travel and sign up for alerts from comparison websites such as Kayak.com or Skyscanner.com and they will notify you via email when the price changes.

Once the price drops to a reasonable amount, book your flight. Don’t wait. After you’ve made your purchase, turn off the travel alerts. There’s nothing worse than purchasing a flight and seeing the price drop even further. Canceling the alert will allow you to remain blissfully ignorant and grateful for the amount you paid.

6. Shop for airline promotions.

Over time, you can save hundreds of dollars by simply checking to see if the airline is running a deal before purchasing your flight. This is especially important if you’re booking through a third-party agent, as the deals will not appear on their websites.

The best way to stay abreast of airline promotions is to sign up for alerts and to follow the airlines’ social media accounts. If you’re like me, you’ll do a little happy dance when you enter the promo and see the price of your flight drop.

In sum, if you’re looking to save money on air travel, it’s best to plan ahead, be flexible in your travel dates, and do lots of comparison.

To my fellow wanderers, when do you think is the best time to travel and what strategies do you use to find the cheapest flight?