It’s a story from many years back, when ‘Tuesday is the best day to buy plane tickets cheaply’ was the most popular travel hack. But is it still impactful today? Let’s uncover the real facts behind airfare drops, drawing on insights from recent studies. Multiple analyses and case studies reveal that fares often drop when you book in advance or choose the right day to purchase, helping you save significantly on travel expenses.
When is the Best Time to Book a Flight?
Tuesday was once believed to be the cheapest day for flights, and airlines used to align their pricing with competitors. These days, this strategy is no longer useful or reliable for spotting fare drops and ensuring budget travel. Why are we saying so? Because airlines typically use dynamic pricing algorithms these days, offering the best fares at random, without any fixed patterns.
A new trick for flight booking has been unlocked in the 2025 Expedia study. Airlines often drop prices on Sundays! Sounds exciting, right? But here’s the drawback. You may not save as much as you expect. Booking domestic flights on Sunday can be about 6% cheaper than on Monday or Friday. For instance, on a $300 ticket, that’s a saving of just $18. International bookings, however, offer greater value, with potential savings of up to 17%
Don't get overexcited hearing the hype of Sunday Bookings! Upgraded Points study for 2024 marks Monday and Tuesday as the best days to book, while fares get expensive on Friday and Saturday. Even Google has confirmed that the ticket price drops on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. And their last verdict went something like, 'there is no significant benefit of choosing any particular option one to book the flight.
While it's difficult to determine the best day to buy airline tickets, data suggest that avoiding Friday is more sensible.
Booking in Advance: The Best Time To Book Flights
Stop chasing the ‘best day’ myth, because in flight booking, timing is everything, and that’s where the real game is set. Most airlines allow passengers to book flights up to 11 months in advance of their intended travel date. This doesn’t mean you should over-rely on this suggestion and stop tracking fare drops. Keep yourself updated on price changes, something you can easily monitor with comparison tools, fare alerts, or airline apps, which will ensure you effortlessly track the best deals.
Rather than just chasing the best day to find cheap fare, you should consider booking the flights as early as the trip plan hits your brain, to save smartly.
When is the Best Time to Buy Flight Tickets, Including International & Domestic Routes?
Best Time to Buy Domestic Flight Tickets
Through the Expedia Air Hacks Report, you will find that booking flights to US cities at the best price is only possible if it is conducted 34-86 days in advance, which means 1-3 months before. This way, budget travelers can win 25% discounts on their ticket purchases. Even Google's study results are the same, confirming that booking 44 days before the flight is usually cheaper; deals can also be grabbed between 21 and 60 days earlier than the expected travel date.
Best Time To Buy International Flight Tickets
Contrary to what you might believe, booking international airfare on relatively short notice can be a good deal. Expedia found that buying international airline tickets with only 18 to 29 days' notice can save you 17% compared to booking with at least 3 months' advance notice.
Google dug into flights specifically for the U.S. to Mexico or the Caribbean and found that 59 days is the sweet spot, though booking flights anytime with 37 to 87 days notice could result in a good price. For Europe, a little more notice could be helpful: The best deals were typically 129 days before departure, with low fares available from 50 to 179 days out.
Although you’ll see some variability in numbers and trends, there’s no data to support that you need to commit to tickets a full year in advance if you’re looking for a deal.
Cheapest Day of the Week To Fly
There is no doubt that the booking day you choose matters a lot, but the date you select to depart can save money too! According to Expedia reports, flight bookings within the U.S. are often affordable on Saturday, and flying internationally on Thursday is the smartest choice to score cheap fares.
In the hopper study, it was found that traveling on Midweek, like Tuesday to Thursday, can also be more pocket-friendly, especially if you book flights on U.S. routes. Travel smart! Save Upto15%!
Weekends mean high travel demand, which directly affects fares. Avoid booking flights on Sunday for both international and domestic, otherwise, be ready to stretch your pocket!
How To Score the Cheap Fares?
If you are budget-consious traveler, every penny counts. And if the smart hacks are revealed to you in such a case, it will definitely feel like icing on your travel cake.
Travel Off-Peak
Some of the most visited places across the U.S., like Florida, get crowded during spring break, for family gatherings on Thanksgiving, and for exploring Europe’s popular attractions in the summer. Due to high demand, flight rates on such days are often premium.
The simple strategy for traveling smart is to fly when most of the crowd is at home, relaxing, or busy elsewhere. Beach trips in January typically offer cheaper fares than in March, while still delivering the same chill energy. So don’t worry, you won’t miss out on fun-filled experiences at your destination if you choose to travel during the off-season.
Don’t be a traveler who confuses off-peak with just the season; there’s more to it! Booking the last or very first flight of the day can even save you from spending a lot. Additionally, choosing underrated, alternative airports, such as Baltimore/Washington International over Washington Reagan, is a savvy move for traveling cheaply; you should definitely consider it. On top of that, accepting the connecting flight instead of a non-stop trip is another great idea you should rely on to save a ton.
Track Flight Prices
You are no longer required to manually track airfare to grab the best deals on flights because websites auto-monitor ticket prices, enabling a seamless experience for you in spotting and booking the best deals. Google Flights, Kayak.com, and Skyscanner are examples of meta-search engines that compare past trends and current airfare prices to precisely estimate the best time to buy plane tickets. To consistently take advantage of cheap fares, you can opt for the price alert tool across metasearch, airlines, or third-party platforms to continue being notified of price changes via email.
Using some tools, you can effortlessly filter for very specific details on fare pricing, such as nonstop flights by airlines or by a specific time of day, while other tools figure out flight prices based on your search behavior, including date and route.
Consider Rescheduling the Flight If the Price Drops
As per the latest updates, most United States-based carriers do not charge the ticket holder a penny to rebook the flight. So, cheers, you still have a chance to save money even after booking the flight. If you realize the price drops before your travel date, cancel the reservation and book a new flight immediately at no extra cost. You may be refunded for the unused portion of the ticket. Such deals vanish in seconds, so rebook the flight before it’s all sold out.
This is one of the insider hacks only experts are familiar with. You may effectively leverage this technique, which is why we are sharing some key tips to flag before or while you rebook the flight
Eligibility for Flight Rebooking: You should be aware of the fare class; most airlines do not allow basic economy fliers to change or cancel their tickets, so be mindful when booking and don’t forget to check the travel details before pressing the buy button.
Economy just sounds cheaper, but the harsh truth no airline would tell is that there are hidden charges for every ancillary service. So, don’t fall into such a trap and book fares that include upgraded benefits like flight rebooking.
Fare cuts vouchers from Price Drops: Airlines do not refund the difference amount in credit card. However, they issue a fare-cut voucher you can use for future travel with the same airline or its partner carrier for a limited period. So, don’t overlook the details when you receive any voucher: rebook the flight and redeem it before its validity expires.
Avoid Overreliance on Rebooking: Rebooking is a smart alternative that can save you money on travel, but it does not mean you should rely on it to unlock savings every time. That’s why we have clearly mentioned “when you realise,” only then should you cancel your existing booking and secure the new one.