When is the best time to book flights to get the cheapest airfares in 2023?

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated with new information.

Starting a new year means planning the whole year with trips.

Let’s face it, travel is expensive. While we aim to provide strategies to ensure Cheapest flight ticketsyour ability to find that elusive airline agreement focus on a few factors.

In a normal year, flights during the summer and holidays are notoriously expensive. Now take into account that this is a year where inflation, limited flights and high demand have driven up the cost of air travel.

Ever heard that booking a flight on a certain day of the week yields the cheapest results?

You’re probably thinking of a cousin who claims he found a bargain when he checked the price of a plane ticket at 12:01 a.m. on a Wednesday. Maybe you have a friend who swears by setting a reminder on her phone at 1 p.m. on a Thursday when she’s shopping for a plane ticket.

Indeed, there’s no shortage of rumours (and “research”) out there, but does the time of day you buy your flight really make a difference in how much you pay? Could it save you at a time when so many other expenses are piling up?

TPG spoke to airfare experts about how timing affects airfares to help you maximize your savings on airfare this year.

There used to be some truth to the notion that certain dates were better for finding flight deals. However, research shows that today this is just a myth. Hopper . booking app. Hopper found that this only applies to less than 2% of routes and yields savings of just 6%.

Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper, said: “There is no single day or ‘golden rule’ for when to book that applies to all travel. The booking app relies on eight years of data and 70 trillion flight rates to recommend the best time to book specific routes and dates.

According to Bob Harrell, an airline ticketing consultant who specializes in analyzing airline prices, there may be no guaranteed date for cheaper airfare, and you could see airfares fluctuate from Monday to Thursday. Six.

Harrell said airlines look at customer demand and monitor booking trends to decide whether to open or close certain types of fares and increase or decrease existing fares.

So, how can you use this information to your advantage in buying airline tickets?

Related: 10 cheapest international spring travel destinations

For domestic travel, Berg says start tracking prices three to four months in advance, booking one to two months in advance.

“Most domestic airfares will drop one to three months before you depart, before rising rapidly three to four weeks before takeoff,” Berg said. “This means that there is an attractive point where airlines will offer lower average prices and are more likely to offer promotional discounts and extremely low fares.”

Typically, you’ll want to book international travel rather than domestic travel — start calculating these flight prices six to seven months in advance while planning to book three to three months in advance. five months.

“When you’re traveling internationally, planning ahead is key to getting the cheapest airfare,” says Berg. “Travellers often book international flights too far in advance or too early at the last minute, paying too much for their tickets.”

What is the best day to travel?

While airfares fluctuate depending on when you book, a midweek flight can be cheaper than a weekend flight.

According to Hopper data: “Travelers who fly in the middle of the week, usually a Wednesday, can save an average of $56 per ticket on domestic airfare throughout the year.” “Midweek savings skyrocket over $60 per ticket during the busy spring and summer break months while flying midweek during the holidays can save you $100 or more.”

The same goes for international travel: A weeklong road trip starting midweek is on average $70 less than a similar trip starting at the weekend, per Hopper.