We live in an era where we see a lot of oversimplified advice — especially with the heavy focus on short-form video content — since that’s most likely to go viral. Along those lines, we often see people making claims about the best time of day or day of week to book flights. Is there any truth to this? Let’s unpack it a bit…
In this post:
There’s not a best day or time to book flights
So, is there truly a best time of day or day of week to book travel? There are a lot of claims out there, so let me share my general take on that.
Sometimes you’ll see people claim that you’re best off booking a flight X weeks or months in advance. There absolutely can be some truth to that, in the sense that data can be compiled comparing historical airfare patterns, and inferences can be made based on that. That being said, I don’t think anyone should think “oh, I booked my ticket X months in advance, so therefore I got the best deal.”
Airline pricing is complicated, arguably way more complicated than it needs to be. There are a variety of factors that determine how much you’ll pay for a flight — there are typically dozens of fare types filed between each city pair, and then there are specific inventory “buckets” that need to be available to actually get those fares.
Even more interesting are the claims that some people make about there being a certain day of the week or time of day where you should book tickets (I’m talking about when you book, not when you travel). These claims are even more questionable.
For example, a couple of years ago, an Instagram reel went viral, where someone who works for an airline made the following claim:
I work for an airline, and these are the cheapest days and times to fly. The cheapest day to book your ticket is Saturday and Sunday, but the cheapest day to actually fly on is Tuesday. And the cheapest time of day to physically book your ticket is between 6AM and 12PM. And I’m not making these up, these were presented to us like one of my first weeks of work.
Look, I don’t want to say that this is totally made up, but to me the recommendation to book on Saturday or Sunday, and between 6AM and 12PM, isn’t actually useful advice:
- Airlines do typically load their schedules over the weekends, so you might see new flights added during that period; however, that doesn’t necessarily mean fares are lower
- In theory there might be a tiny amount of truth to tickets sometimes being cheaper earlier in the day, since airlines have a modeled booking curve, and airlines have data collection points where the system looks at booking trends since the previous time data was collected, and that typically happens overnight, so fares may be lower after that
Will there be some situations where you find a cheaper flight on Saturday or Sunday, or by booking in the morning? Of course. But there will also be plenty of situations where that’s not the case, and I don’t think either of those tips even rank in the top 10 ways to make sure you’re getting the best deal on airfare.
So I’m not saying it’s totally made up, but I also don’t think anyone should plan their travel around these tips, thinking that’s the secret to getting the best deal.
Tips for getting the best deal on flights
Let me share what I’d consider to be the most useful tips for getting the best deal on flights. No, there’s no secret handshake, and you don’t need to get up at 4:57AM on a Tuesday and open an incognito browser to get the best deal.
Quite to the contrary, I think most of the tricks to getting the best deal on airfare are pretty straightforward, and even obvious to those who travel with any frequency.
Below are some tips, in no particular order. I’m focusing specifically on revenue fares here, and not award flights (though I’d argue learning about miles & points is really the best way to get a deal on airfare, but that’s a different topic).
Comparison shop with Google Flights
Google Flights is the single best website for comparing airfare. This allows you to easily compare fares across a variety of airlines, see pricing for months at a time thanks to a calendar view, and even see historical pricing, for context on how current fares might compare to what was available in the past.
When you compare fares, make sure you consider what’s included with a ticket, since obviously not all fares are created equal. On some airlines, the most basic fare doesn’t even include a carry-on, while on other airlines, it includes free checked bags.
Lastly, you’ll often find that flights are cheaper on Tuesdays and Wednesdays than on Mondays and Fridays, for example, reflecting general demand patterns.
Use Google Flights to track flight pricing
This also involves Google Flights, but is a separate trick, as I see it. In addition to just outright letting you compare the cost of airfare, Google Flights also lets you track flight prices. This is an awesome feature, and it costs nothing.
You can either track the price of a specific itinerary, or you can track the prices between a particular origin and destination for a particular day.
If you find an itinerary you’re interested in, just toggle the little “track prices” button, and you’ll receive email alerts if the price changes. Airlines adjust prices all the time, so this is a great way to save money on airfare.
Take advantage of airline ticket flexibility
Nowadays many airlines no longer have change or cancelation fees on most types of tickets. This doesn’t apply on all airlines, and it typically doesn’t apply on basic economy fares. Also remember that if the fare changes, you don’t get a refund, but rather you typically receive a credit, and that credit often expires.
With airline tickets offering a lot more flexibility than in the past, I always try to take advantage of that. Assuming the ticket is on an airline I fly with some frequency, I typically like to book my ticket as far in advance as possible, assuming I’m okay with the fare (even if it isn’t ideal).
This way I can select my preferred seats and already have something locked in. Then I can keep tracking prices, and if the price goes down or another itinerary is better, I can always reprice or rebook.
For example, since I live in Miami, I fly American a lot, and I’ll book a ticket as far in advance as possible, even if I’m not 100% sure I’ll take it. After all, travel credits with American are just about good as cash to me.
Use schedule changes to your advantage
Another benefit of booking airline tickets far in advance is that they allow you to take advantage of schedule changes. Airlines often adjust their schedules as the departure date approaches. If an airline makes a material change to your itinerary, you can typically rebook on another flight that day at no extra cost.
There’s something to be said for booking the cheapest flight for a particular day when the schedule first opens, and then hoping for a schedule change as the departure date approaches.
When I typically book flights
I honestly think the above are the most important tips for getting the best deal on airfare, and they’re quite obvious. So, when do I typically book my revenue airline tickets? Generally speaking:
- For holiday travel and transatlantic summer travel, I tend to think the further out you book the better, since those flights are going to be full no matter what, and pricing often doesn’t drop as the departure date approaches
- For non-peak travel, I tend to think that booking somewhere one to three months in advance is the sweet spot, depending on just how off-peak your travel days are
- Nowadays I even try to book non-peak travel further in advance assuming the ticket offers flexibility, though frankly I rarely make plans that far in advance
Bottom line
While I wish getting the best deal on airfare were as simple as booking at a particular time of day and on a particular day of the week, it just isn’t. So while I’m not saying there’s zero truth to these kinds of claims, I don’t consider them to be particularly useful advice.
If you want to get the best deal on flights, use Google Flights to comparison shop, then set automated price tracking. Take advantage of the flexibility that airlines offer nowadays by locking in a fare you’re comfortable with, and then you can always get a voucher if the fare drops.
What are your tips for getting the best deal on airfare?
Are there more airlines selling a subscription (eg. Alaska Airlines $5/mth) to get a "leg up" on advanced notification/access to upcoming fare sales?
Also, is this Alaska Airline subscriptiona a gimmick or is it proving some benefits to get the lowest fares on air fare sales?
Seems like a program length commercial is taking place within this discussion.
This article is exactly why I created theskykey.com. Rather than focusing on the "when is the best time to book my flight" question before booking, I realized that the most optimal strategy is to just book your flight as soon as you know you need to go somewhere and are acceptable with that current price. Then, you can use theskykey.com to track your flight and arbitrage the price as it goes down before your flight...
This article is exactly why I created theskykey.com. Rather than focusing on the "when is the best time to book my flight" question before booking, I realized that the most optimal strategy is to just book your flight as soon as you know you need to go somewhere and are acceptable with that current price. Then, you can use theskykey.com to track your flight and arbitrage the price as it goes down before your flight date. On SW, there are many occasions that The Sky Key can automatically claim your flight credit for you without you having to do anything. We have seen that about 50% of flights will go down in price after you book them, but most people are not paying attention to this. I really think it can help a lot of your readers here, and it is better than Google Flights!
So if I pay $300 for a ticket and it goes to $250, you guys will alert me? I get alerts on Google Flight sometimes, but they aren't always accurate. Which sucks because I miss out on the lower price
I use Google Flights for this sometimes but it never sends me the alert on time and when it does, it's usually not correct
Theres very few airlines that let you cancel a standard ticket and get a refund/credit.
This is not true. As long as you don't book basic economy, you will receive a travel credit on most if not all US airlines if you cancel your ticket before the flight date!
"Another benefit of booking airline tickets far in advance is that they allow you to take advantage of schedule changes."
This tactic has worked to my benefit several times, including once again today. I have ended up on a better connection and/or a preferred departure time or even date change whilst having paid a lower fare than was offered when I booked.
Considering most airlines do not charge cancellation fees these days, I book *almost* as soon as I know I will be traveling somewhere. (I have flights already booked into May 2025.) ***However*** I periodically check back on the flight(s) and, if there is a price drop, I re-book and use the travel credit for future flight(s). This way, I not only know that I'm going -- on the route and at the time of my choosing -- but I also end up frequently saving hundreds...
Yes, Jason! Instead of you checking periodically, start tracking your flights on theskykey.com, and they will let you know immediately if there is a price drop. They will even automatically claim your credit for you on SW sometimes. The Sky Key has personally saved me thousands of dollars.
Be flexible with your destination. Cross reference Google Flights with seat maps to ensure you are getting the most for your money. Three Avianca flights to BOG J for $1k, I’ll take the Dreamliner with free cancellation policy, and keep it in my back pocket. Those flights are now going for $3.4k.
Thanks for the helpful information, Ben. I did not know about Google flights. I will check that out next time.
Do you mean you never heard of Google flights? Or you mean you weren't aware of all functionalities? Cos I can't believe that there are people who have never heard of Google flights in 2024
I’ve been buying flexible tickets on carriers we fly frequently way in advance and using Google flight tracking to ride the pricing ups and down for the credits.
Yes! Instead of you checking periodically, start tracking your flights on theskykey.com, and they will let you know immediately if there is a price drop. They will even automatically claim your credit for you on SW sometimes. The Sky Key has personally saved me thousands of dollars.
Since you have been posting a lot of such articles recently - what would be interesting to read is, how do you plan/organize your trips?
I love TripIt Pro for this, but I guess there are many options. I also know some people use Google Maps to have a list of places they want to visit etc.
We think alike.
I’m all about TripIt for schedule keeping, and Google Maps for planning/ memorializing.
I use TripIt (free version) as well. Great way to track all my trips and have all my info in one place.
Do they offer the availability to automatically track your flight prices for you and alert you. as soon as they go down, and in some cases automatically claim the credit for you? theskykey.com does!