Cheapest Time to Buy Flights
We’re all looking for the lowest flights we can find. Whether you’re going on a business trip, visiting relatives, or taking your summer vacation, you want to know you’re getting a decent bargain.
Shop on Tuesday:
The ideal time to book a flight in the United States is generally about 3 p.m. eastern time on Tuesday. Tuesday is the ideal day to shop for airline tickets, as we’ve previously highlighted — since so many airlines issue weekly promotions early on Tuesday, prompting competitor airlines to match rates – thus Tuesday is a wonderful day to locate a lot of offers.
Popular Time to Fly:
If you plan to fly around major holidays like Christmas, New Year’s, and Thanksgiving, or high point months like June, July, and August, buying tickets two months ahead of time will typically save you money.
Always Compare Airfare:
Always shop around for the best airfare. Some people don’t do this because they ‘know’ their preferred airline always has the greatest offer, but no airline, not Spirit, not Southwest, not every single time on every single route, has ever had the best deal, and we’ve proven it. You might overpay if you don’t compare, and why spend a cent more than you have to?
Cheapest Days to Fly:
Knowing the cheapest days to fly might help you save even more money. If you are unable to buy inexpensive days for your entire flight, do so for one leg of your journey and you will still save money. The cheapest days are generally Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Weekdays are frequently less expensive than weekends for overseas travel. Fly during times when most people don’t want to, like as early in the morning, midnight, or during lunch or supper.
Fly the Cheapest route:
Although direct flights are more convenient, international flights can occasionally provide better prices (not always, but often). We’ve seen some international flights that were 50% less expensive than direct flights on long journeys. Before you swipe your credit card, compare the cost of direct travel versus that of a connecting flight. You are the only one who can determine if a lower price is worth the trouble of a long journey day.
When booking a flight, how long in advance should you book?
Booking a flight many days in advance of your scheduled departure is one of the advised strategies. Our research also shows that, on normal, airline prices rise in the days leading up to departure but reserving at least 14 days in advance saves you money on average.
Now you know when to book:
Checking the price of a flight ticket numerous times will help you figure out when the ideal time is to book your journey. Changing your departure or arrival airport might save you a lot of money on your flight. Because leaving or coming on a weekend might increase the cost of a ticket, you should try to vary the departure and arrival days of the week. Because of season, some months of the year have higher pricing; nevertheless, scheduling far in advance for these months might help you save even more money. Purchasing a last-minute ticket is usually not favorable, although last-minute flights are sometimes provided at reduced rates: if you are a risk-taker, booking a last-minute trip can be beneficial.