If you’re ready to travel in 2024 but watching your wallet, you can keep an eye out for flash sales and limited-time cheap fares, but there’s another way to get a good deal on flights. Prices fluctuate depending on when you buy and how far in advance you make your purchase. The Points Guy has all the tips on timing to help you find the best fares.
According to TPG, you’ll want to be strategic when booking a flight. Obviously flights during holidays and school breaks will be more expensive due to demand, but fares can be more expensive based on when you buy. While you can’t point to a specific day of the week that has cheaper fares, airlines do lower prices within certain booking windows that you should be aware of.
Booking one or two months in advance tends to result in the best airfare. Start keeping an eye on prices a few months in advance, with tools like Google Flights alerts or the Flight Watch tool on the website Hopper. For international flights, six to seven months in advance is the best time to start looking into flights.
While there is no best day to buy a flight, midweek is generally a cheaper time to fly than weekends. If you’re flexible, look at Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Time of day can be a factor as well. The first flight of the day can be significantly cheaper. While you might have to get up earlier than you like, you’ll save money and you’ll have more options in case of delays or cancellations.
Find more tips, including when to book holiday travel, at The Points Guy.