What are the best days to book flights?

People who have connected their lives with travel as a hobby or as a work necessity buy tickets so often that they must have noticed the connection between booking a flight time and price. This practical experience is incredibly useful for those who fly infrequently but want to know how to effectively save money on buying tickets.

In the article, readers will find out when is the best time to buy plane tickets regarding departure date, day of the week, and time of day. Remember life hacks so as not to overpay!

How far in advance should you book plane tickets?

Standard practice for most airlines is to make a list of tickets available for booking approximately 300-330 days before departure. However, do not rush and immediately book a seat after the appearance of this option — it is not the best time to buy plane tickets. As a rule, the price of a ticket is formed according to last year’s trend, and if demand for a direction is lower for the current period, then the company will probably reduce the price within a few months after the publication of the first price.

So, when deciding when is best time to book flights, it`s worth listening to statistical sources:

1. According to economist Makoto Watanabe, the most suitable moment is 8 weeks before departure.
2. Airlines Reporting Corp. calls another figure: according to the experts of this organization, the best option is to buy tickets 6 weeks before the planned departure.
3. Data from the Kayak website suggests that on domestic routes it`s better to buy tickets 3 weeks before departure, and on international flights consider 4,5 weeks days in advance.

Fun fact: conversely, 1-2 weeks before the flight is the worst time to purchase a seat. Statistics show that during the week preceding the flight, the average booking cost can increase by 40%.

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However, these basic rules for exploring when is the best time to book flights may not be relevant if the traveler is going to a particularly popular destination or on common holidays. There may simply not be enough tickets, so in such a situation you should not get hung up on savings: it`s better to book a flight 3-4 months in advance.

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What is the best time to buy airline tickets during a week?

Absolutely all companies keep statistics on the popularity of their booking service, depending on the period of the week. They try to charge the highest prices during the period when the load on the website or branded application is the highest to increase the chances of making high profits. The most popular days to buy a seat are Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thus, the best time to purchase flights at the lowest prices of the week would be Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Thursday usually reflects average options. 

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What is the best time to book a flight?

If the price is influenced by the day of the week, then why can’t the time of day affect it, too? Logically, most customers shop during the day or in the evening — and this is the main reason why companies raise ticket prices at this period. Thus, the best time to buy a flight can be considered night or early morning. In addition to the reduced price, customers can see various promotions and discount offers.

Conclusion

Well, let`s crown all the collected facts! On average, 4-8 weeks before departure is the optimal period for choosing and buying a plane ticket. However, if the traveler is going to fly to a sought-after location or on a common holiday, then it is worth adding one or two more months of the reserve to this period not to lose the opportunities to choose tickets freely. As a rule, the best day of the week to book a flight is Mon, Tue, and Wed. In addition, the best time of day to buy plane tickets is at night or in the early morning, because carriers often reduce prices or present some promotional offers. We hope that the information provided was useful to you. Happy travels!