Maybe you want to book a flight for Thanksgiving week or during the winter holidays. Or maybe you want to plan your dream trip to Europe in advance. Whatever your travel plans, when you check flight schedules, you may wonder: What are the best days to book a cheap flight? Is it cheaper to buy far in advance or to wait until you’re closer to your travel dates?
Just in time, Google Flights recently released its top flight insights Travel data and trends in 2024including answers to the questions above. Flights and their prices are constantly changing. Google has aggregated four years of airfare data and trends to provide U.S. travelers with a comprehensive guide on how to get the cheapest flights possible and the best times of year to fly.
Learn more: Use your iPhone to easily monitor flight delays and cancellations
What is the cheapest day of the week to fly?
If you're thinking about booking a flight, especially during the holiday season, you're probably trying to find the cheapest option. According to Google Flights, the cheapest flights are available on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, with Tuesday being the cheapest daybased on historical flight data. Taking an early or midweek flight can save travelers 13-20% on airfare compared to flying on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, with Sunday being the most expensive day to travel.
Do stopovers really save money?
It’s no surprise that flights with a stopover are cheaper than nonstop flights, but you may not realize just how significant those savings can be. Data from Google Flights shows that Travelers can save 25% by booking a flight with a stopover instead of a non-stop flight.
Is there a best day of the week to book flights?
While there are certainly cheaper days to fly, there aren't really cheaper days to book. “There's no real benefit to buying tickets on a specific day of the week,” according to Google's report.
Google Flights says that Tuesdays are usually the cheapest day of the week to book.according to the data, but Tuesday bookings are only 1.3% cheaper than the most expensive day, Sunday.
Is it cheaper to book flights well in advance?
To wait or not to wait? According to Google, it’s best to book your trip well in advance, especially if you have a specific date or time to fly. However, there are some patterns you can analyze to decide whether it’s better to wait for lower prices or book now based on specific travel scenarios, destinations, and dates.
For domestic flightsPrices are usually lowest between 21 and 52 days before your trip — with 38 days before departure being the cheapest day to book on average.
For international flightsPrices are usually the lowest between 50 and 101 days before your trip, but it's generally best to book as far in advance as possible. According to Google, “average prices don't drop significantly before departure, but they typically start to increase within 50 days of the flight itself” when it comes to international travel departing from the United States.
When is the best time to book a flight in each season?
Here's what Google says about the best times to book flights and vacation travel to some popular destinations.
Thanksgiving: The cheapest domestic flights during the Thanksgiving holiday are typically available between 26 and 59 days in advance, with 45 days being the cheapest — meaning it's best to book Thanksgiving flights in early October.
Christmas: The cheapest domestic flights during the winter holidays are usually available between 36 and 72 days in advance, with the cheapest being booked 58 days in advance. It is best to book a trip for Christmas or the holidays in the second half of October.
Summer holidays: The cheapest domestic flights in July and August are typically available 13 to 43 days in advance, with 21 days before departure being the cheapest day to book on average.
Spring break: The cheapest domestic flights in March and April are available between 33 and 59 days in advance, with 44 days before departure being the cheapest time to book on average.
When is the best time to book a flight to Europe?
International flights to Europe from the United States are generally cheaper 50 days or more before departure, with 94 days being on average the cheapest day to book. As with all international travel, it is generally best to book as early as possible.
When is the best time to book a flight to Mexico or the Caribbean?
According to Google, international flights to Mexico and the Caribbean are the only exception to the broader international trend. Indeed, flights are typically at their lowest between 26 and 68 days in advance, with 44 days being the cheapest.
What are the best holiday destinations?
Google also released information on the most searched destinations for each stay.
Thanksgiving: Top destinations for travel departing between November 24 and December 1 include Orlando, Florida; Cancun, Mexico; New York; Tokyo; London and more.
Other national locations are represented on the Thanksgiving list.
Christmas and New Year: Popular destinations for travel departing between December 22 and January 5 include Tokyo, Orlando, Florida, Cancun, Mexico, Miami, New York and more.
For Christmas and New Year's Eve, it seems people are more interested in traveling abroad based on the top searches on Google Flights.
For more, check out CNET's picks for The Best Travel Credit Cards in 2024. You can also explore The 12 Travel Essentials You Should Always Carry With You And Worst Airlines for Flight Delays and Cancellations.
