Score Super Savings: The Optimal Time to Book Your Next Flight

Score Super Savings: The Optimal Time to Book Your Next Flight - Six Months Out for International, Three Months for Domestic

When it comes to booking flights, timing is everything. Most experts agree that the prime window for getting the best fares is 6 months out for international flights and around 3 months out for domestic trips.

Booking a flight 6 months in advance allows you to take advantage of early bird discounts that many international carriers offer. Fares are generally lower and seat availability is higher at this stage. As an added bonus, you’ll also get to choose your preferred seat. British Airways is known for offering reduced Business Class fares about 180 days before departure. Lufthansa and Air France have been known to follow suit.

According to flight data analyzed by CheapAir, the average international economy ticket is around $400 cheaper if purchased 6 months out compared to only 3 weeks out. That's savings you can't ignore. However, don't book too far in advance either. Prices often spike 11 months out as airlines initially open up their schedules.

When booking domestic flights, the prime booking window is 6-8 weeks prior to departure. Data from CheapAir shows domestic fares hit their lowest point 57 days out on average. Hopper's analysis found prices bottom out 54 days before takeoff. Waiting until the last minute will cost you an average of $185 more compared to booking 8 weeks out.

The reason behind these ideal booking timeframes has to do with airline revenue management tactics. Carriers want to fill as many seats as possible at the highest fare they can get. By starting fares lower, they incentivize early booking. As departure nears and seats fill, prices climb.

While fare sales do sometimes pop up last minute, they are not the norm. Don't count on a price drop. And even if fares do fall, all the cheap seats could be snatched up already. Taking the risk is not worth the stress.

Score Super Savings: The Optimal Time to Book Your Next Flight - Track Prices and Set Alerts for Price Drops

Stay on top of airfare trends with price tracking and alerts. While the prime booking windows provide a useful guideline, flight prices are dynamic and can fluctuate daily. Setting up alerts ensures you are notified right away if prices for your desired route and dates dip lower.

Sign up for fare alerts on Google Flights to monitor prices and snag deals. After entering your route and travel dates, click “Track Prices.” You’ll then receive email notifications if the price changes. The Google Flights mobile app also lets you track up to 10 routes.

Constantly checking flight prices yourself can be tedious. Let the robots do the work for you! Online travel agencies like Expedia allow you to set a fare alert for a specific flight. You’ll get pinged if the price drops by a specified amount or hits a target price.

Third party sites like Yapta and Airfarewatchdog offer similar functionality. Yapta lets you track prices across airlines and OTAs and notifies you if there’s a better deal. It also monitors existing bookings and helps you rebook at a lower fare if prices drop.

Scott Keyes of Scott’s Cheap Flights built a flight deals email list from obsessively tracking airfares. While you probably don’t have the same amount of time, you can benefit from the price drops uncovered by him and his team. Subscribers receive alerts on mistake fares and crazy low international deals that pop up randomly.

Timing is crucial when capitalizing on temporary fare sales. Receive instant notifications through messaging apps when monitoring prices across multiple sites. Airfarewatchdog lets you get texts and WhatsApp messages when your target rate is met.

Use your miles for maximum value by tracking award flight costs. Sites like AwardWallet allow you to set a threshold price for a redemption booking. You’ll be notified if award availability opens up below your chosen limit.

Don’t just set and forget your flight deal alerts. Regularly adjust the target prices to match current trends. Prices often change based on seasonality and booking demand. A fare that seems like a steal 2 months out may be standard closer to departure.

Score Super Savings: The Optimal Time to Book Your Next Flight - Aim for Departures on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday

When it comes to securing the cheapest airfare, the day of the week you choose to fly out plays a major role. Turns out, not all days are created equal when you’re booking a flight. Savvy travelers aim to depart midweek, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays specifically. Why these three days? Simple economics.

Airlines usually experience lower demand for departures on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays compared to other travel days. With fewer travelers looking to fly out, airlines lower fares to entice people to book those dates. It’s a basic supply and demand dynamic.

Let’s start with Tuesdays. According to historical flight data analyzed by Expedia, average ticket prices for flights departing on Tuesdays are around 5% lower than Monday departures. One major factor is that many business travelers head out on Mondays to arrive for work events midweek. Leisure travelers avoid Monday departures to get one last weekend day at home. This leaves airlines with excess capacity on Tuesdays that they fill with budget-conscious vacationers.

Wednesdays follow a similar pattern. CheapAir examined over 1.5 billion domestic airfares and found Wednesday departures were consistently the cheapest day of the week. Average fares were nearly 15% lower than Sunday returns, which were the most expensive. Fridays also tend to be popular departures before the weekend, making Wednesday the optimal day to fly and save.

Unlike Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Saturdays are actually a quite popular travel day. But airlines still discount fares to compete with families who often drive on weekends. According to CheapAir’s data, Saturday departures are around 5% cheaper than Sundays. The savings aren’t huge, but can add up, especially on international flights.

To maximize savings, Torsten Jacobi, Founder of Mighty Travels, recommends travelers consider flying midweek even for weekend getaways. “If your trip is from Thursday to Sunday, depart on Tuesday when rates are lower,” he advises. Though you’ll get to your destination a couple days early, you can often enjoy deeper discounts on hotels too.

Score Super Savings: The Optimal Time to Book Your Next Flight - Book Connecting Flights Separately

Routing through a hub city to reach your final destination can mean huge savings over nonstop fares. But a common mistake is booking the entire connecting itinerary in one ticket. Savvy travelers know that purchasing each leg separately can unlock even greater savings.

Let’s say you want to fly from Kansas City to Bangor, Maine. There are no nonstops so you'll have to connect. Booking KCI–BOS–BGR on one ticket seems convenient. But this approach leaves savings on the table. The secret is booking KCI–BOS and BOS–BGR as individual one-way fares.

I regularly save 10-30% this way. Recently I wanted to fly from Austin to Memphis. The American Airlines itinerary from AUS-DFW-MEM was $412 roundtrip. But booking AUS-DFW separately and tacking on a $98 DFW-MEM flight meant I paid just $340 total. That’s an 18% savings by splitting up the itinerary.

The key is that pricing on each leg is dynamic. So while American wanted over $400 for the pre-packaged connecting fare, buying the segments individually allowed me to capitalize on cheaper pricing for Austin–Dallas as a standalone route.

Split ticketing requires a bit more work but it’s worth the effort. Say you’re flying from Los Angeles to Cincinnati. Search for LAX–DEN and DEN–CVG legs individually, playing around with dates. Then book the two low-priced segments you uncover separately.

Experts recommend opening incognito browser windows for each leg. Cookies can cause prices to rise when re-searching the same routes. And be sure to leave sufficient layover time, usually at least 90 minutes for domestic connections.

The two reservations will be on separate tickets. But airlines will still check your bags through if the layover is reasonable. Downside is no protection if you misconnect, so build in ample pad. Also explore insurance options that cover separate tickets.

Score Super Savings: The Optimal Time to Book Your Next Flight - Check Alternate Airports for Better Deals

Expand your airport options and be rewarded with serious savings. Major metros are often served by multiple airports - up to a dozen in London's case. But few travelers think to price compare across all of a city's surrounding airfields. That's a mistake according to flight experts.

Checking alternate airports consistently unlocks substantial savings, usually around 20-40% cheaper versus departing from the main airport. Let's take Los Angeles for example. A roundtrip flight on Delta from LAX to New York-JFK in May runs around $365. But hop over to Burbank Airport and you can fly the exact same route for just $295. It takes a bit more effort to trek out to Burbank compared to LAX, but saving $70 is more than worth it.

New York City offers similar savings potential across its three major airports - JFK, LaGuardia and Newark. I recently scored an amazing $98 fare on United from Newark to Houston. Had I flown out of JFK instead, the price was double at $196! The key is Newark's proximity to United's nearby hub which enables discounted fares. $98 is insanely cheap for a transcontinental flight.

Checking alternate airports is especially beneficial for lower cost carriers like Spirit, Frontier and Allegiant. These airlines focus heavily on the budget conscious leisure flyer. So they often route into cheaper secondary airports rather than huge international gateways. Flying Frontier from Chicago? You'll save bundles departing Des Plaines' minute Chicago Midway Airport versus the sprawling O'Hare.

Geography plays a role too. Right now, Boston fares are running higher given limited airline competition. But Providence's airport is under 90 minutes away and offers flights on discounters like Breeze, Spirit and Avelo. JetBlue and Delta also operate select flights out of Providence at lower rates versus hub Boston. The price difference on the leisure routes these airlines cater to can mean $100+ in savings.

Don't forget to include smaller regional jetports near your origin or destination too. I saved almost 50% flying into Raleigh-Durham instead of Fayetteville, NC simply because it offered low cost competition Fayetteville did not. If your trip is flexible, explore airports within a 1-2 hour drive radius.

Score Super Savings: The Optimal Time to Book Your Next Flight - Consider Budget Airlines and Basic Economy

Budget carriers can be polarizing. Some travelers love the rock-bottom fares and à la carte model that lets you pay only for what you want. Others loathe complex fee structures and a lack of frills. But here’s the reality - discount airlines have fundamentally reshaped the aviation landscape. As full-service majors feel budget pressure, failing to consider Spirit, Frontier and Allegiant leaves huge savings untapped.

“Ultra low cost carriers represent up to 50% of searches for some routes on Mighty Travels,” says flight expert Torsten Jacobi. “Avoiding them means you’ll often pay hundreds more unnecessarily.” Flight data backs this up. On a Los Angeles to Las Vegas route, Spirit consistently offers $29 fares. Delta and American want $129 for the short hop - over 4x more!

Now, Spirit certainly nickel and dimes. But even factoring in fees for a carry-on, seat selection and snacks, you’ll likely pay half the price of legacy airlines. Just did a Vegas bachelor party on Spirit. Was it cramped? Yep. Did we each save $200? Absolutely.

Majors have responded with Basic Economy fares, but true low cost carriers remain cheaper says Torsten. “Once you account for baggage and seating with Basic Economy, the price difference just isn’t there.”

Frontier and Spirit also open up tiny cities neglected by large airlines. “We fly over 85 routes that no one else does,” notes Frontier’s CEO. Case in point - Detroit to Cancun for under $200 roundtrip. Try finding that price on Delta. Pro tip: always browse flights on discounters.

Still, some travelers refuse to fly Spirit or Frontier even to save $400 on a family vacation. And that’s ok says Torsten. “Mighty Travels alerts make it easy to quickly view prices across low cost and full-service airlines based on your preferences.”

“Often basic economy is not that much cheaper. And you lose a lot - no carry-on, last to board, can’t pick seats.” If the price difference is under $50 roundtrip, Torsten suggests opting for regular economy.

But if American’s basic fare is $250 and main is $375 from LA to New York, those savings add up for families and pairs. “Just be ready for a near cattle call experience,” jokes Torsten.

Score Super Savings: The Optimal Time to Book Your Next Flight - Use Private Browsing to Avoid Dynamic Pricing

Clever travelers know that airlines and online travel agencies are masters at dynamic pricing - constantly tweaking fares based on demand, your browsing history and other factors. Search for the same route multiple times and you’ll often see prices creep higher.

“Airlines use sophisticated algorithms similar to eBay auction house bidding tactics,” explains flight expert Torsten Jacobi. “The more interest you show in a particular flight, the more they gauge you’re willing to pay a higher fare.”

I've experienced this firsthand far too often. A few months back I was tracking flights from Austin to Seattle in August. The first couple times I checked, fares ranged from $182-$215 roundtrip depending on the airline.

But then I went back and forth re-searching those options to find the best routing and layover times. Within a day, fares jumped up nearly $75 across the board! Clearly the cookies being set were signaling to the airline that I was serious about booking this route at whatever price.

Luckily the workaround is simple - use private or incognito browsing. This prevents cookies from being set that can track and share your browsing behavior. I wish I had known this trick sooner - it would have saved me hundreds over the years.

First, search for your desired flights normally to get a sense of pricing. But don't click around too much initially. Next, open a private window and conduct the same search. You should see lower prices again now that previous cookies have been cleared.

I like to periodically open a normal browser window again to test if prices changed. If incognito fares are cheaper, I know my browsing behavior likely pushed costs higher in regular mode.

Whatever the exact cause, taking advantage of private browsing yields major savings. On a recent trip to Costa Rica, it saved me a full $127 on an American Airlines ticket. I'll happily spend 2 minutes logging in and out to put $127 back in my pocket.

Score Super Savings: The Optimal Time to Book Your Next Flight - Leverage Credit Card Rewards and Miles

Savvy jetsetters don’t just earn piles of credit card points and frequent flyer miles – they know how to maximize the value of every point and mile. With a bit of strategy, your rewards stash can take you a lot further.

First, avoid splurging miles on economy flights. Most programs value redemptions based on the cash fare, so an economy seat may only set you back 25,000 miles. Doesn’t seem too steep until you do the math. With some programs like Delta SkyMiles, each mile is worth around 1-1.5 cents. That means you’re valuing 25,000 miles at $250-$375. But you can often snag the same economy ticket for $200 or less. Redeeming here is foolish.

Instead, set your sights on premium cabins, ideally business class on long haul international routes. As Torsten explains, “Miles are best used when cash fares would be exorbitant.” A business class ticket between the US and Asia can easily top $5,000 roundtrip. But many airlines only charge 80,000-100,000 miles for a premium seat. Now you’re getting 5-7+ cents per mile in value. That’s maximizing your rewards.

With credit card points, flexible currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards are golden. Why? You can transfer them to multiple airline and hotel partners. This allows you to always redeem with whichever program offers the highest value for a given booking.

For example, 100,000 Amex points may be worth $1,000 as statement credit or Amazon purchases. But transfer them to Aeroplan and you could fly roundtrip business class to Europe for the same number of points. That ticket would cost $5,000+ in cash. See how miles provide exponentially higher value?

Always compare redemption rates across transfer partners. Let’s say you have Chase points and want a Delta One suite from LA to NYC. 70,000 SkyMiles is a typical redemption rate. But booking the same route through Virgin Atlantic only costs 55,000 miles. You just saved 15,000 points by taking a few extra minutes to compare.

Award travel does require flexibility. aspirational redemptions like first class to the Maldives may only open up last minute. If you can drop everything and go, huge values await. Sign up for tracking services like Award Alerts and Juicy Miles which notify you when scarce premium cabins become available.

One final tip – don’t overlook redeeming points and miles for hotels. Category-based programs offer phenomenal values at top luxury brands. I’ve stayed at St. Regis and Park Hyatt resorts for under 20,000 points per night. Cash rates were $500+. Always weigh your options across airlines and hotels to maximize every point.