Leisurely scrolling through flight dates is a great way to not only fulfill the fantasy of planning a trip but also help to get an idea of prices.
Sometimes you need to book a flight, and you don’t have the option to be flexible.
When you do, though, there’s something magical about specifically planning a trip around the cheapest or most convenient times to fly.
So, when are those times?
There are a few ways to get the best prices for flights depending on a number of factors.
Follow along as we share some booking wisdom for your next trip.
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What Goes into Flight Costs?
Essentially, the most direct answer to the best time to book is Tuesday.
While opinion may vary on that choice, it’s typically regarded as the day with the best deals.
Whether it be psychology or just the days when most people find the time to book tickets, weekends seem to be when ticket prices fluctuate the most.
Why is that, though?
There are a few reasons to factor in the flight equation.
Price Fluctuation
Go to Google, then type in “flights to” and type in any destination.
Scroll down just a tad and you’ll see a graph.
Click “more flights” for a whole new page to come up.
Here you can adjust a number of variables to find exactly what you’re looking for.
To really understand, click on the calendar to the right.
Starting from the day of the search through about a year in the future, you can see how wildly varied the prices are for the same flight.
If you tap on the calendar and put together a departure and return date range, a whole list of airlines leaving on those days will pop up.
This list starts with the cheapest flight and works its way up as you scroll down.
Before choosing that range, though, take a moment to scroll through the months.
The same flight that would cost $400 to take tomorrow costs a third of that to go next month.
While this has put a lot of power into the hands of the consumers, it’s also raised questions.
Flights are priced this way based on demand, mostly.
The cheapest times each year to fly will be in the winter, and the most expensive is in the summer.
They also appreciate having a real heads up, so you get penalized financially for waiting until the last minute.
Destination Variation
Another reason for erratic ticketing has to do with the destination and when you’re going.
For example, it’s cheaper to go to Canada in the winter than to Puerto Rico.
Fewer travelers are trying to go north this time of year, so there are more tickets than in the summer.
Something to keep in mind, though, is that no matter how expensive or budget-friendly a place is to go, there is always an off-season.
If you can go whenever – take a moment to consider the destination and whether you’d rather fight crowds or deal with unsavory weather.
Booking Tips
1. Research
The biggest favor you can do for the wallet is to go on a research adventure.
If you have no idea where you want to go, check out the explore feature on Google Flights.
Pick a date range, and you can find out what the costs are for destinations around the world.
2. Timing
After picking a place, try several different time frames.
This includes scrolling through the calendar to see the pricing as well as resetting the dates to get a more accurate number.
Sometimes, playing with the date ranges will provide you with varying numbers.
3. Layovers
Be open to layovers!
So many travelers want to avoid layovers because they think it takes up too much time.
If you do it right, however, a layover might take you to a destination you would love to see.
Some places even have deals for layovers, such as Reykjavík, Iceland.
This is especially useful if you have wiggle room on your trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do flight prices increase during an online search?
If you’ve ever been looking up flights, walked away, and came back to higher prices, you’re not alone.
Officially, airlines have a seemingly logical answer to that scenario.
It’s not you, it’s them.
The way they describe it, the prices increase because of internal changes, updates, or issues on the site.
Could that be true?
Maybe.
However, it’s not likely any business would admit to using your search history against you for profit.
It happens so often that many consumers have been looking for answers.
That’s a whole lot of glitches if you ask us.
How can you avoid this supposed non-issue?
Feel free to look up flights on your browser, but when it comes time to book, go incognito.
That is, pull up an incognito tab on your browser.
Incognito means there are no cookies or search history to piggyback off of.
Purchasing this way will ensure prices won’t be going up when you’re in the process.
How can you score super cheap flights?
Have you ever looked up a flight and found it impossibly cheap?
Perhaps you’re part of an email list that notifies recipients when a particular flight has dropped drastically in price.
Either way, it can be exciting and confusing all at once.
Upon boarding a plane, it’s wild that the person sitting next to you could have paid double or more what you paid for the same experience.
That has a lot to do with the algorithm.
Most airlines have software that works off algorithms.
These systems are in place to automatically adjust prices in either direction.
It feeds off things like the market and internal bookings.
Say, for instance, a flight is within two weeks of departure and has gotten a high number of cancellations.
Instead of canceling the flight, the algorithm would drop the price to get butts in seats.
At the same time, if there’s a low or high demand, the same thing could happen.
An airline would rather sell a seat cheaply than fly a half-empty plane.
Unfortunately, this type of trend isn’t really something that can be predicted with much success.
When should holiday flights be booked?
Generally speaking, all flights increase in price the closer you get to departure.
This is even more applicable when it comes to the holidays.
For reference, the holidays here mean Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.
The most expensive flights will be those landing specifically in the few days before and after the actual holiday.
The closer the calendar creeps toward those windows, the pricier tickets get.
Avoid price gouging by booking well in advance.
To fly home for Thanksgiving, if you could come to a conclusion two months out, that would be your best bet.
Prices are still around the same ballpark even a month out, but competition is on at that point.
For Christmas, feel free to book out as early as two and a half to three months.
Those seats fill up even faster.
Believe us, the last thing you want to do is book a flight last minute if you can help it.
Additional Resources
How to Find Cheap Flights to Any Place Around the World
Why Are Flights So Expensive?
Cheap Flights: Airline Mistake Fares And Secret Flying
6 Unbelievable Facts About Top Longest Flights
Planning Your Trip Abroad? Here’s What You Should Know
Save Money for Your Travel: 10 Things for Students to Do Before Travelling
