For years, travelers have searched for the magic formula to score the best deals on flights. One of the most persistent beliefs is that there’s a specific day of the week when airlines slash prices. But is there any truth to the “cheapest day to book” myth? Let’s dive into the world of flight pricing and uncover the reality.
The Tuesday (and Wednesday) Being the Cheapest Day to Book A Flight
The idea that Tuesday or Wednesday is the cheapest day to book a flight stems from the days when airlines typically released their sales. Historically, many airlines would analyze weekend bookings and adjust their prices on Monday evenings. This often led to lower fares being released on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
People have argued that this is a myth due to dynamic pricing and competition.
- Dynamic Pricing: They claimed that airlines now use sophisticated computer algorithms to adjust prices in real-time, based on a multitude of factors like demand, competition, time of year, and even individual search history.
- Competition: With numerous online travel agencies and flight comparison websites, airlines are constantly adjusting their prices to stay competitive. This means that fares can fluctuate throughout the week, not just on specific days.
What Do The Facts Say?
In short and according to Mashable, Tuesday is in fact the cheapest day to book a flight. Not necessarily to actually fly, but to complete the act of booking. FYI, you are not going to save a huge percentage on your ticket. THe savings will be in the neighborhood of 1.3% as compared to booking on a Sunday (which is the most expensive day to book a flight).
The cheapest days to fly are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. These days are approximately 13% cheaper than flying on weekend days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
So, When Should You Book Your Flight?
For those data hawks like me, the report from Google also has some interesting notes about when to book travel. Booking travel in advance can save you a considerable amount of money. Google reported that
- Domestic flights: For trips within the U.S., average prices have been lowest 38 days before departure. The historical low price range is 21-52 days before takeoff.
- International flights: If you’re traveling abroad, you should probably book as early as you can. While average prices have been lowest 101 days before departure, the historical low price range is anytime 50 days or more before takeoff. In other words, for international travel from the U.S., average prices don’t meaningfully drop anytime before departure, but they usually do start to rise within 50 days of the flight itself.
- Thanksgiving: For domestic trips around Thanksgiving, prices have been lowest 45 days before departure, and the low price range is 26-59 days out. So if you’re flying right before or after the holiday, the best time to book cheap flights is early October.
- Christmas: Plan a bit further ahead if you’re traveling domestically for Christmas. Prices have been lowest 58 days before departure, and the low price range is 36-72 days out — so the best time to book cheap Christmas flights is the back half of October.
- Spring break: For domestic trips in March or April, the lowest prices have been 44 days before departure, and the low price range is 33-59 days out.
- Summer vacation: If you’re traveling domestically in July or August, there might be some last-minute bargains available. Prices have been lowest 21 days before departure, and the low price range is 13-43 days out.
- Trips to Europe: Trips to Europe from the U.S. tend to be cheapest 94 days before departure. But you shouldn’t wait for prices to drop — the historical low price range is 50 days or more before takeoff (same as the general advice for all international travel).
- Trips to Mexico or the Caribbean: These trips are an exception to the broader international trend. Prices for traveling from the U.S. to Mexico or the Caribbean have been lowest 44 days before departure, and the low price range is 26-68 days out.
The Bottom Line
You can save money when booking a flight by making your reservation in advance and by doing it in the middle of the week. You can also save money if you travel on weekdays as opposed to weekends. I would recommend that you set up a travel monitor on Google Flights to keep track of available flights to maximize your value.