How Far in Advance Can You Book a Flight: Ultimate Guide

Key takeaways

• US airlines typically open flight bookings about 330 days in advance, but booking too early or too late can be costly. 
• The optimal time to book flights with cash is 1–3 months in advance for domestic trips and 2–8 months for international trips. Award tickets (using points) should be booked as soon as they become available. 
• Traveling during peak seasons requires extra planning. A good rule of thumb is to book your flights during the opposite season.
• Contrary to popular belief, last-minute tickets are rarely cheaper. Prices typically increase about three weeks before departure, with occasional exceptions for filling flights.
• A Going membership is a hassle-free way to ensure that you are booking the cheapest fares. While most of our deal alerts are sent out to our members or available in the app during the Goldilocks Window (when most cheap fares occur), we also send out deals at the last minute when they are available. 

So many things in life come down to getting the timing right—including scoring a great deal on an airline ticket. Unfortunately, in nearly a decade of watching and tracking airfare prices, we’ve never found a simple rule or magic number of days ahead of a trip that always guarantees cheap flights.

While great deals can pop up at any time (and Going members can be confident they’ll hear about them first), there are a couple of things worth keeping track of on the calendar—especially if you’re hoping to use award miles to book a trip instead of buying a ticket with cash. One is how far ahead the airlines make booking available for a flight, and the other is our general recommendations for the best time to buy airline tickets.

How far in advance can you book a flight?

The most honest answer to the question of when to book flights to get the best deal isn’t necessarily the one travelers want to hear: “It depends.” US airlines typically open their booking window around 330 days in advance, but the early bird, in this case, doesn’t usually get the worm. 

Just because you have the option to book, that doesn’t mean it’s the best time to book a flight. So, what can you do? Generally, we recommend you think about booking during the opposite season. For peak summer, look around the Christmas holiday, while for Christmas travel, you should be looking to book around the 4th of July.

How far in advance should you book domestic flights?

Most major airlines, such as American Airlines, Delta, and United, open bookings up to 11 months in advance. On the other hand, budget carriers like Allegiant Air and Southwest Airlines often have shorter windows, ranging from 6 to 9 months before departure. For the best deals, we suggest booking domestic flights 1–3 months before your travel date. 

How far in advance should you book international flights?

Like domestic flights, international bookings with major carriers typically open 11 months before departure, but the best deals tend to appear around 8 months before you travel. For peak seasons or high-demand routes, extend your booking window to 10 months, and you’ll find better itineraries.

How far in advance should you book award flights?

Award tickets for US airlines become available at about the same time as tickets you can buy, and since there are so few award tickets on a given flight, you’ll likely miss out on the dates you want if you wait too long. Be sure to monitor award flight availability closely, and be flexible with your dates to maximize the value of your loyalty points.

Seasonal booking timeframes

Planning ahead based on the season can make a significant difference in your airfare. For example, if you’re planning a spring break trip, book at least 1–3 months in advance. Similarly, summer travel requires more lead time—domestic flights should be booked 3–5 months in advance, while international trips may necessitate planning 4–10 months ahead to avoid sky-high prices. 

Timing is also very important for holiday-specific travel. Thanksgiving flights are best booked in the opposite season, around 3–5 months ahead. If traveling on Thanksgiving Day itself, early morning flights can also help cut costs. Similarly, for Christmas and other holiday travel, securing tickets 3–5 months in advance for domestic travel and 4–10 months for international travel is optimal. As holiday travel is highly competitive, flexibility in travel dates and destinations gives you a greater chance of finding affordable fares.

Download Going’s app for the best domestic and international flight deals!

Most popular airlines

Booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake—second only in cost to booking at the last minute. Still, if you want to start tracking a flight as soon as possible, here’s a rundown of when major North American airlines open their booking windows.

When do airlines release award availability? 

While it’s best not to click the “buy” button just as the booking window opens if you’re purchasing your tickets with cash, award tickets are just the opposite. Since the number of award tickets available on any flight is always limited (especially in premium classes), your best bet to get one is to jump on it as soon as the window opens for award seats.

With US airlines, the date on which you can get an award ticket is the same as when the booking window opens to purchase tickets. They may only have a few seats available immediately and add more award seats later, but that’s not always definite—so be ready to click “buy” on an award ticket ASAP.

Booking cheap flights: DOs and DONTs

Do: Use flight tracking tools

Platforms like Going are great for tracking airfare trends and securing deals at the right time. We analyze millions of routes and fares daily, offering insights into when to book. Going not only tracks prices but also includes personalized travel alerts. Premium and Elite members gain access to mistake fares, potentially saving hundreds of dollars or thousands of points.

Do: Set up price alerts

Stay ahead of airfare fluctuations by enabling alerts on platforms like Google Flights or Skyscanner. These notifications inform you when prices drop, allowing you to act quickly. Learn more about how to set Google Flights alerts to stay on top of airfare deals. With up-to-date updates, you don’t have to be glued to your phone constantly monitoring fares—saving you both time and money.

For an even more tailored experience, set up price alerts with Going. Our experts do the work, notifying you of the best deals. For our Premium and Elite members, this includes international flights, mistake fares, and more. Start with our travel membership trial to secure incredible savings without effort. 

Do: Book within the Goldilocks Window

The Goldilocks Window (1–3 months ahead of travel for domestic flights and 2–8 months for international flights) offers the best chance at reasonable fares. Why is it so great? During this timeframe, you can find a balance of early-bird savings while avoiding last-minute surges.

Do: Take advantage of loyalty programs

Loyalty programs, such as frequent flyer miles or co-branded credit card rewards, are a great way to reduce travel costs significantly. Sign up for your preferred airline’s loyalty program, and start accumulating miles through flights and travel partnerships. You can redeem miles for free flights, upgrades, or baggage allowances. 

Another cool benefit of these programs is that they often offer priority boarding or lounge access, enhancing your travel experience while keeping costs down.

Do: Keep seasonality in mind

Traveling during peak seasons is a whole different challenge. For popular travel periods, such as summer vacations or winter holidays, plan to book 4–10 months in advance for international travel (3–5 months in advance for domestic travel) to avoid price hikes. If you decide to travel on less popular times (shoulder seasons) you may find better deals closer to your departure date, around 1–3 months for domestic flights and 2–8 months for international travel.

Don't: Wait until the last minute

Despite what you might have read, last-minute tickets are not cheaper. In fact, last-minute deals are increasingly rare and unpredictable. The reality is that airlines hike prices as the departure date approaches to capitalize on urgent bookings. To avoid overpaying, book during the Goldilocks Window instead of gambling on a last-minute drop.

Don't: Trust booking myths

Common tricks like “book your flight on Tuesdays,” “delete your cookies,” or “search incognito mode” are outdated and don’t reflect modern pricing algorithms. Airline fares actually fluctuate constantly based on demand, route, and availability. Do not rely on popular myths to find a deal. If you want to learn how to save money on flights, the best option is to opt for strategies that actually work.

Don't: Book ASAP

While you should never wait too long to book, buying your flight too early doesn’t guarantee savings either—it might even lock you into higher-than-average prices. 

Airlines often release initial fares at a premium, gradually dropping them closer to the travel date. That said, if your travel dates are fast approaching, acting quickly can sometimes be the smarter choice. Monitor prices for a while before committing to ensure you’re paying a fair rate.

Don't: Look for flights on very specific dates

Being inflexible with your travel dates limits your options and might make you miss some great deals. Flexibility allows you to compare fares across different days, uncovering cheaper alternatives (even within the same week or month). Tools like Google Flights' flexible date search will show you price variations within your chosen period and highlight the best deal.

Why book flights in advance?

Grab the best deals

Booking early gives you access to promotional fares and low initial pricing before demand drives up ticket costs. Airlines often release discounted seats well in advance, which means proactive travelers get significant savings. 

Plan your trip ahead of time

With your flights locked in, you can focus on the fun part of planning your vacation: arranging accommodations, excursions, and other trip details. Early booking also allows you to align your travel plans with seasonal events at your destination.

Get peace of mind

Eliminate the stress of scrambling for last-minute flights at inflated prices. Booking in advance gives you peace of mind, knowing your travel dates and budget are taken care of. But booking flights in advance not only secures your travel plans, it also brings immediate joy! 

Further-out bookings produce the most joy

Believe it or not, research shows that anticipation of a trip can be as fulfilling as the vacation itself—daydreaming about exploring new cities or lounging on a beach can boost your mood long before departure. 

So why not treat your future self (and your today self!) by locking in plans early? You’ll be saving money and start savoring the happiness of knowing an adventure awaits.

Get notified about the best deals with Going!

Going takes the guesswork out of finding the best time to book a flight by sending you personalized alerts for the deals on your preferred routes. With our travel membership trial, you can access exclusive deals and never overpay for flights again. Start saving today, and make your dream trips a reality!