The Best Day and Time to Book Flights to Save Money

Photo Credit: Fire Mountain Travel

I’ve mentioned this before, and I’ll repeat it—there’s no specific day of the week or time of day that guarantees you’ll get a great deal on flights.

However, you can increase your chances of finding good deals by understanding some trends. According to Expedia, this is possible.

I reviewed Expedia’s 2024 Air Travel Hacks report and spoke with Christie Hudson, a travel expert at Expedia, to gather some tips on securing cheaper flights!

Best Day of the Week to Book Flights

Photo Credit: Fire Mountain Travel

To find cheap airfare, you must understand that airlines use dynamic pricing. This involves a complex algorithm that sets prices based on real-time demand, causing flight prices to fluctuate frequently. Therefore, there isn’t a single best day to book flights.

Nevertheless, data can reveal trends in pricing. While you can’t predict exact price drops, Expedia’s Air Travel Hacks report shows which days have lower prices.

“Airfare pricing is incredibly dynamic. It used to be that Tuesdays were the best day to book, but after analyzing millions of bookings over the last two years, Sunday came out 13 percent cheaper,” says Hudson. “I’ve tested this theory dozens of times myself, and it tracks.”

A recent study by Upgraded Points also found that the cheapest day to book can vary by airline. It’s important to note that this doesn’t guarantee every flight will be cheaper on a Sunday. The 13 percent figure is the average for international flights, while domestic flights are about 6 percent cheaper on Sundays.

So, it’s worth checking prices on Sundays, but keep monitoring them throughout the week.

Best Time of Day to Book Flights

Photo Credit: Fire Mountain Travel

Regarding the best time of day to book, the dynamic pricing model means that fares can change at any moment.

Previously, there might have been specific times when airlines would change fares, but now there is no particular time of day to find the best prices.

Instead, set price alerts for your flight to get real-time notifications about price changes. Expedia’s alerts even predict whether prices might drop further.

Tips for Finding Cheap Flights

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Book Your Flight Early

More crucial than booking on a specific day is booking during the “ideal booking window.” According to Expedia’s report, international flights should be booked 60 days in advance, and domestic flights should be booked 28 days ahead for the best savings.

Booking during these windows can save you around 10 percent on international flights and 24 percent on domestic flights compared to booking at the last minute.

Fly on a Thursday (or a Monday, or a Tuesday)

Choosing the right travel dates can also help you find cheap airfare. “The Air Travel Hacks report says Thursdays are generally the cheapest and Sundays are the most expensive day to start your trip. This can vary by season, however,” says Hudson.

During the summer months, people who departed on Monday for international flights or Tuesday for domestic flights saved around 15 percent compared to those who left on Thursday or Friday.

Using a flight price calendar to adjust your travel dates by a few days can lead to significant savings, though you should consider potential increases in accommodation costs.

Track Flight Prices After You Book a Flight

This is perhaps the best tip. After booking a flight, please continue to monitor its price. If it drops, you can rebook and get the difference as an airline e-credit or even a refund if you use a service like Expedia’s Price Drop Protection.

“Expedia’s Price Drop Protection is my secret weapon when it comes to booking airfare. You can add it to your booking and get an automatic refund if the fare decreases on Expedia after you’ve booked,” says Hudson. “To date, I’ve gotten back hundreds of dollars. There’s a nominal fee for Price Drop Protection unless you’re a Gold or Platinum One Key member booking on the app.”

Don’t Be Fooled by Basic Economy Fares

Basic economy fares are cheaper but come with many restrictions. You can’t choose your seat in advance, and changes or cancellations are not allowed. Additionally, the savings can diminish once you add seat selection or baggage fees.

“It may be cheaper initially, but once you’ve added in seat selection or baggage fees, the savings might not be as significant,” says Hudson. It’s wise to do the math before booking basic economy or avoid it altogether.

While knowing all this is good, what about planning the flight and vacation? Fire Mountain Travel, a professional travel agency in Castlerock, Washington, can help!

For years, we’ve made vacation planning stress-free for couples and vacationers, and we want to extend this service to you. When Fire Mountain Travel works for you, you only have to worry about having the best time on your vacation! Contact us here today!