According to Google, fares are less expensive if you fly in the middle of the week, rather than on the weekend. Over the past five years, flights that took off Monday to Wednesday were, on average, 12% to 20% cheaper than weekend flights. Sundays are a particularly expensive day to depart, Google said.
Average domestic airfare price by day
The cheapest days to depart if you're flying within the U.S. are midweek — generally Tuesday or Wednesday. For economy tickets, Tuesdays are about 24% lower than peak prices on Sundays, which translates to savings of about $85 per ticket.
We've explained why Tuesday is the best day to shop for airline tickets in the past – because so many airlines release weekly sales early on Tuesday, which then prompts competing airlines to match prices – so Tuesday is a good day to find a lot of deals.
Another recent study done by Google found that flight prices on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays were 1.9% cheaper on average than flights on Saturdays and Sundays. However, Google's conclusion in releasing its study results: “There isn't much value in purchasing your tickets on a certain day of the week.”
I always aim to book domestic flights between Tuesday and Thursday. That's generally when the cheapest sale seats are available too. Added bonus: The airport queues are usually shorter too.
Finding the cheapest day to fly usually falls mid week on Wednesdays, but can just as easily fall on any other day of the week based on demand. Time of year also is a huge factor on ticket prices, as traveling during low or off peak seasons will see prices drop for flights.
When are flights cheapest during the week? Yes, according to our data and flight price history, Tuesday is the day to book. It seems most airlines launch their discounts on Monday nights, so you can pick up the best prices on Tuesday mornings. Typically, you'll save somewhere between 15 and 25 percent.
“It all varies, depending on the route you're flying, etc.” That means there isn't one best time to book a flight during the day—and that it's a myth that it's cheapest to book flights at midnight.
It's ideal to search for airfare at these moments: International airfare: 6 weeks ahead. Domestic airfare in summer: 47 days ahead. Domestic airfare in autumn and winter: 62–69 days ahead.
"January and February are the cheapest months because you have so many families, students, teachers who can't travel, and you have a lot of folks that don't think about traveling cause they just went over the winter holiday," Keyes said. He also said there is a travel hangover from flying places.
If you're traveling during an off-peak season, you're going to want to look at airfares one to three months in advance for domestic flights, and two to eight months ahead of the flight for international trips.
Winter is great for frugal travelers – if you avoid the holidays, winter is one of the cheapest times to visit Japan. After the holidays pass, mid-January to mid-March is also the least crowded time to visit. Is winter in Japan right for you? Winter is also an ideal season for visiting an onsen, or natural hot spring.
In conclusion, prices are influenced by various factors such as seasonality, airline competition, fuel prices, distance and route, time of booking, and demand. By keeping these factors in mind, you can save money on your next flight booking.
Flights to Hawaii are more reasonable midweek
To get the best airfare prices, look to fly on Tuesday and Wednesdays. All summer long, midweek flights are a better price.
Cheapest Day to Book Hotel Reservations
Most travel agencies agree that the cheapest days to book hotels are Fridays and Saturdays. While these are the most expensive days for actually checking in and out, the best hotel rates are on the days when most people are traveling.
So why are airlines exaggerating flight times? While it's denied by airlines, industry insiders call the practice “schedule padding” and insist it's all about improving punctuality. Take that aforementioned journey from JFK to Gatwick, which Norwegian completed on Monday January 15 in just five hours 13 minutes.
What is a good connection time? Travel advisers say there's a lot to take into account when booking connecting flights, but a general rule of thumb is 60-90 minutes between domestic flights and at least two to three hours for international itineraries.
The recommended layover time for domestic flights is normally one hour. However, as previously stated, you may require longer if your flights are booked with two different airlines, if you are traveling to a very busy airport or if you require special assistance.
The good news doesn't stop there: Airlines often sell their first flight of the morning cheaper than those later in the day, simply because most people would rather sleep, according to FareCompare. So there you have it: Wake up early. You can sleep soundly on the plane knowing you avoided travel misery.
Airline tickets are at some of the highest prices the industry has seen in a while, but $66,000 for a single plane ticket? That's the price of the world's most expensive commercial airplane ticket, a one-way flight on Etihad Airways from New York City/JFK to Abu Dhabi.
Early morning on-time performance is all thanks to the thin air traffic. As Forbes explained, airspace is less likely to be crowded in the morning, as all the previous days' flights have long landed. But as planes build up and wait for takeoff, air traffic controllers begin to delay departures and landings.
Tuesday Around Midnight is the Cheapest Time to Book
We found that travelers who search for flights on Tuesday at midnight save about 6% on their flights, making this the cheapest time of the week to book.
Tuesday at around 3 p.m. ET has long been considered the best time to buy a plane ticket. This is because after airlines launch their ticket prices for the week on Monday night, they'll spend Tuesday trying to beat out everyone else until mid-afternoon.
The Best Day to Travel for Cheap Flights
That means flying on off-peak days: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are often much cheaper days to fly. Shifting your departure and return dates by just a day or two can save you hundreds of dollars. So stretch that weekend into a slightly longer weekend and save on flights.