Best Days to Buy Airline Tickets: And Other Myths To Save

What is the best day to purchase airline tickets?

Regular readers of Going guides have probably read this a dozen times: The best time to buy a flight is 2–8 months before an international trip (or a bit more, if you’re traveling during peak times or your dates are inflexible). Of course, this doesn’t mean you should book your ticket as soon as you hit that window. Airfare prices change daily, so you should wait until you find a cheap flight and then jump on it before it’s gone.

So, what is the best day to purchase airline tickets? Unfortunately, airfare pricing is a complex game influenced by multiple variables. That means that there’s not a magic day when flights are suddenly cheaper. What really matters is monitoring prices regularly or relying on tools like Going to catch great deals. In this guide, we’ll debunk some myths, explain pricing dynamics, and share tips to truly save money.

Myths debunked

“Tuesday is the cheapest day of the week to buy flights”

Here’s an interesting bit of air flight history: In the early days of online flight booking, airlines manually updated their fares at a specific time each week, typically on Tuesdays. This process gave rise to the popular myth that Tuesday was the best time to snag cheap flights.

That’s not how this process works anymore. Airlines use complex algorithms to adjust prices continuously—often multiple times a day—based on demand, competition, and a host of other factors. This means no single day is guaranteed to offer the cheapest flights. That’s why we recommend you download the Going app, so you can get the best price for your next ticket.

“August 23 is the cheapest day of the year for flights”

August 23 has been named "National Cheap Flight Day," citing it as the single cheapest day of the year to book flights. This idea, popularized by a report from CheapOair, stems from analyzing historical price data. However, "magic dates" like August 23 often vary between sources because different sites pull their data from varying airlines, routes, and timeframes. 

What does this mean? Essentially, these discrepancies further prove that no single day guarantees cheaper fares for your specific trip. The reality is that deals don’t adhere to fixed dates or patterns. Instead of relying on myths about the "cheapest day," sign up for Going’s alerts to stay notified of the best deals as they happen, no matter the date.

For example, one of the best deals we’ve found—Los Angeles to Bali in business class for $670 roundtrip—was sent out on August 16, not the 23rd. Similarly, we discovered flights to Chile for $63 roundtrip in November and to Japan for $202 roundtrip in April. Waiting for a specific "cheap flight day" might cause you to miss out on incredible fares like these.

“Booking flights late at night gets you cheaper deals”

Similarly, the idea that booking flights late at night can save you money is another myth. Since airlines used to manually update prices at dawn, night owls who booked in the early hours often got slightly cheaper fares. Sadly, as we’ve already discussed, that’s just not how airlines update their prices anymore. 

However, while waking up in the middle of the night is not necessary to book a cheap fare, nighttime flights are usually more affordable. 

“Delete your cookies or search incognito mode”

Contrary to the common myth, airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs) do not manipulate flight prices based on your browsing history, cookies, or past searches. So why does the price change when I switch to incognito mode or delete my cookies? These slight price fluctuations are typically due to changes in demand or fare adjustments, not your browser settings. 

Airlines and OTAs use dynamic pricing systems that adjust fares based on real-time market conditions. Therefore, the key to saving money is focusing on broader, more effective strategies: Instead of constantly deleting cookies or using incognito mode, set up fare alerts on reliable platforms. 

“Trust fare predictions 100%”

Fare predictions can offer valuable insights into potential price trends, but it’s important to approach them with caution. While these predictions are based on historical data and trends, they cannot guarantee the exact changes a flight fare will undergo. 

Airline pricing is influenced by many unpredictable factors, such as fuel costs, government regulations, and sudden surges in demand (like holidays or events). Fare predictions provide a general idea, but they aren’t infallible.

Should I buy now or wait for a better deal?

So, if there’s no single best time to buy flights, how do you know if you should book now or wait for a better deal? First, it’s important to understand the average prices for flights to your destination so you can recognize a good deal when you find one. That’s why knowing how to set up flight alerts can be so helpful.

Additionally, Google Flights has a feature that tells you how the price you’ve found compares to average prices for that route on those dates. The bar below the flights tells you if prices are currently low, average, or high for your dates. 

In some cases, you can see above that Google thinks the flight is a great deal, with prices much cheaper than usual. However, if you’re not as lucky while searching for your flight, there’s still some hope. If you have some flexibility with dates, and you’re still in the 2–8 month window, you could hold out a bit longer, keep checking, set some fare alerts, and be ready to buy when the price drops.

However, when you have less flexibility and it’s a trip you need to take either way, you may want to err on the side of caution. In that case, it may be better to book an overall decent deal and slightly overpay rather than wait too long, watch the price rise, and end up grossly overpaying.

Understanding flight pricing dynamics

Airlines use various methods to adjust prices based on real-time data, so predicting when you’ll find the lowest fare isn’t always straightforward. One major factor is fare classes. Airlines offer tickets at different price points based on availability. These prices are often grouped into "buckets," and as cheaper seats fill up, the remaining ones are sold at higher rates. This is why prices tend to increase as the flight date approaches—airlines are adjusting based on how many seats are left at each price point.

Airlines also use sophisticated pricing systems that analyze a variety of data, from booking trends to factors like fuel costs and even external conditions like weather. These algorithms adjust prices dynamically, which is why you might see ticket prices change even several times in a day.

Another important factor is seasonality. Travel during peak seasons—like summer in Europe or the winter holidays—typically leads to higher prices due to increased demand. On the other hand, during shoulder seasons (the times just before or after the busy season), you may find lower fares since fewer people are flying. However, prices can vary depending on the destination, even in these off-peak times.

Destination popularity is another key factor. If a route is highly sought after—think New York to London or Los Angeles to Tokyo—it’s likely to have higher prices. Conversely, flights to less-traveled destinations may be more affordable. That said, competition can influence prices too. If multiple airlines are flying the same route, they may drive prices down to remain competitive. This is why routes served by budget carriers like Ryanair or JetBlue are often cheaper than those served by just one airline.

Instead, take a look at these tips

Use of booking tools and flight search engines

Using the right booking tools can make a huge difference in finding the best deals on flights. Platforms like Google Flights, Kayak, or Skyscanner are great resources, offering price alerts and historical price data, which allow you to make informed decisions about when and where to book. 

Still, Going is the best alternative for finding great deals. It offers customizable alerts for your preferred destinations, tracks prices, and notifies you when the best deals appear. It does all the hard work for you, ensuring you never miss out on a cheap flight again. 

Ideal booking time: the Goldilocks Window

Aiming for the Goldilocks Window can help you snag the best deals. This period refers to the sweet spot for booking flights at the lowest prices. For domestic flights, this window is typically 1 to 3 months before departure. International flights, however, require a longer lead time, with the ideal booking window being 2 to 8 months ahead of your trip. If you're traveling during peak seasons like summer or winter holidays, we suggest booking even earlier to secure the best prices and avoid steep price increases.

Keep it flexible

Flexibility is key when it comes to booking affordable flights. You can often find significantly cheaper fares by remaining open to adjusting your travel dates and choosing different airports. For instance, while starting your beach vacation trip at 3am can be annoying, opting for red-eye flights (overnight flights) can be cheaper than traveling during peak hours. That way, you can use your hard-earned money for what truly matters on your trip: ice-cold mojitos under a palm tree. 

Understand seasonality and peak moments

It might sound obvious, but seasonality plays a significant role in airfare pricing. For instance, fewer people travel to a ski resort in mid-summer. Peak travel times often drive ticket prices to their highest levels. Additionally, certain destinations experience unique peak moments tied to local events or festivals. For example, Rio de Janeiro during Carnival sees a massive influx of tourists, driving up prices for flights and hotels.

However, traveling during the shoulder season—just before or after the peak periods—can yield significant savings. For example, traveling to beach destinations like the Caribbean in late spring can help you avoid both the winter rush and the summer vacation crowd.

Consider alternative airports

When planning your next trip, don’t limit your search to just one airport. Checking flights departing from or arriving at nearby airports can often uncover better deals. Many large cities have multiple airports, and flying out of or into one that isn’t the primary hub may result in lower fares. Additionally, secondary airports may be serviced by budget carriers, offering lower prices than larger airports that are dominated by major airlines.

Check bookings for groups vs individually

One might think that booking multiple tickets at once is the most convenient option, but it can sometimes lead to higher prices. Here's how it works: Airlines divide seats into different pricing categories, or buckets, based on availability. When you search for more than one ticket, the airline’s system automatically offers seats from the same bucket, even if only one seat is available at a lower price in another bucket.

For example, let’s say you’re booking two tickets. There’s one seat left in Bucket A for $50 and additional seats in Bucket B for $100. Instead of offering you one ticket for $50 and the other for $100, the system will show both tickets at the higher $100 price from Bucket B (a total of $200). If being seated together isn’t crucial, this technique can lead to significant savings. After booking, you can always contact the airline to link the reservations and request adjacent seats if available.

Use miles, points, and loyalty programs

It’s no secret that loyalty programs are a great way to reduce airfare costs. Whether you’re using miles earned through frequent flyer programs or points accumulated on your travel credit card, these rewards can often cover the cost of your ticket entirely. Additionally, many programs offer perks like free checked bags or priority boarding.

Transfer credit card points to airline partners rather than redeeming them for cash back, as this can offer the best cost advantages. Additionally, using loyalty programs for premium cabins or long-haul flights can often have the best value, as the cash price of these tickets is usually much higher than the points or miles needed.

Track historical prices to detect patterns

Tracking historical airfare trends can help you identify the best times to book. Some tools we recommend and have already mentioned are Google Flights and Kayak, which offer historical price data. This is key to seeing when fares for your destination typically drop.

This strategy is especially helpful for recurring travel patterns, like holidays or festival seasons. However, historical data should be used as a guide rather than a rule, as factors like fuel prices, competition, and demand can shift trends unexpectedly.

Wednesdays and Saturdays are the cheapest days to fly internationally

As we’ve repeated throughout this guide, there’s no cheaper day to buy your flights. It’s all about research and flexibility. However, interestingly enough, a recent study suggests that midweek days like Wednesday and Saturday are the best to fly out internationally. 

This is primarily due to lower demand compared to popular flying days like Fridays or Mondays, which cater to business travelers and weekend vacationers. Of course, this does not mean that you can’t find exceptionally good deals on any other weekday.

Be aware of typical prices per destination

Knowing the average price range for flights to your destination is essential for spotting a deal. While there are always seasonal variations that affect pricing, here are some general price ranges when traveling from the US:

• Lower-48: $100s-$200s roundtrip
• Hawaii: $200s-$500s roundtrip ($200s from West Coast, $300s-$400s from the middle of the country, $400s-$500s from East Coast)
• Alaska: $200s-$400s roundtrip ($200s from Pacific Northwest, $300s-$400s rest of country)
• Canada: $200s-$300s roundtrip
• Caribbean: $200s-$300s roundtrip
• Central America/Mexico: $200s-$300s roundtrip
• Northern South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru): $300s-$400s roundtrip
• Southern South America (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil): $500s-$700s roundtrip
• Europe: $400s-$500s roundtrip
• Middle East/North Africa: $500s-$700s roundtrip
• Sub-Saharan Africa: $700s-$900s roundtrip
• East/Southeast Asia: $700s-$900s roundtrip
• South Asia: $500s-$700s roundtrip
• Australia/NZ/Oceania: $800s-$1,000s roundtrip

Forget about booking flights on Tuesdays—get the best deals with Going!

While the myth about booking on Tuesdays may persist, the reality is that flight prices can change at any time. That’s where Going’s customizable alerts come in. You can track prices for your preferred destinations and get notified when the best deals appear. This way, you receive the best fares without the hassle of researching them yourself. Forget the guessing game, and trust Going to help you save time and money.