When is the best and worst time to buy airline tickets?
You can save money on airfare depending on when you buy it, with the worst being less than six days before your flight. But booking too far in advance can also cost you more.
US online travel agency CheapAir.com analyzed over 917 million airfares and nearly 3 million individual trips in 8,000 markets around the world to determine the best and worst times to buy airfare this year. Here are some of the findings from the analysis.
On average, the best deals on domestic flights are available 70 days before departure. Booking between 169 and 319 days in advance gives you the best options, but not the cheapest prices. You have the most airline and seat options, but you’ll also pay an average of $50 more per ticket.
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| Booking your flight too early can cost you a premium. Photo: Ekaterina Pokrovsky |
Booking your flight 122 to 168 days in advance also gives you a good deal, but you’ll still pay an average of $20 more in insurance. Booking your flight 21 to 121 days in advance (3-17 weeks) is the prime time for many people. Prices tend to be in the lowest 5% range when you book during this time.
Prices start to rise two to three weeks before any particular flight. Popular flights in particular start to get booked up quite well in advance. This is definitely not the time to book during the holiday season. If you book your flight 7 to 13 days before departure, you’ll pay $35 more than someone who books their flight 169 to 319 days in advance.
Booking your flight less than six days in advance is the worst option. It’s both stressful and expensive, costing you an average of $208 more than if you booked your flight 21 to 121 days in advance.
Additionally, according to this agent, Wednesday is the cheapest day to fly this year. Wednesday offers the cheapest flights, followed by Tuesday. Sunday is the most expensive day to fly, costing you $76 more than a Wednesday flight. In addition, the main booking time also depends on the season. You need to plan your trip accordingly. This travel agent suggests that you should buy tickets 14 to 160 days in advance in summer, 21 to 110 days in advance in fall and winter, and 46 to 122 days in advance in spring.