Frequent travelers are often concerned with getting airfares as cheaply as possible, and there are a lot more reasons than needed to justify this concern because, duh! Who in the world wants to lose their pockets out for just flying to another city or a country for that matter. No one’s willing to pay that much for a mere flight ticket unless, of course, one’s born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
To help travel enthusiasts add a check mark beside their dream destinations as quickly as planned, we are here with some hidden tricks you could use to get Cheaper airfares. In addition, you are going to learn about the best time to book a flight for domestic and international plane travel. So, Stay with us, till the end to save huge.
Let’s Start with the game of booking!
For Domestic Travels
According to a study by Expedia, the best time to buy a flight ticket for domestic travel is 28 to 35 days before your planned departure. On the contrary, the study by Google suggests that 44 days before your planned departure is the perfect time to book. Nevertheless, if we take both studies into account, you must book between 35-45 days of your planned take-off. One more thing to keep in mind is that none of the researchers suggest waiting until the last minute to reserve a flight seat.
Insights: Do not always rely on the above time period to book your ticket, as the prices will continue to fluctuate ( 49 times on average) as long as the ticket’s still on sale.
For International Travels
Passengers who choose to book around six months early tend to save at least 10% on average compared to passengers who book two months or less in advance. According to Google’s survey, the best time to book a flight ticket to get the best deals is before 129 days. It allows you to benefit from the price drops that often incur during the sales.
To lock in a decent deal, follow the chart below to book international travel right on time and avoid paying a hefty deposit.
| For flights to Africa | 2.5 to 10 2 months before planned take off. |
| For flights to Asia | 4.5 to 10 months before planned take off. |
| For flights to Canada | 3 to 10 months before planned take off. |
| For flights to Central America | 3 to 10 months before planned take off. |
| For flights to Europe | 1.5 to 10 months before planned take off. |
| For flights to Mexico | 1.5 to 10 months before planned take off. |
| For flights to Oceania/South Pacific | 1.5 to 10 months before planned take off. |
| For flights to South America | 2.5 to 10 months before planned take off. |
| For flights to the Caribbean | 2 to 10 months before planned take off. |
| For flights to the Middle East | 2.5 to 10 months before planned take off. |
Must know the “Flight Booking Zones” to Buy the Best Airfares
Learning about the pricing patterns or tactics the airlines often turns out to be beneficial for the passengers. Whether you want to fly domestically or internationally, during summers or winters, you can consider the time frame according to your understanding
- Seven to Ten Months Before
Purchasing your ticket at least 10 months before opens a variety of choices for you, which includes a large number of flight options, service classes, and seat preferences. However, one major loophole with such a purchase can cost you around 36% more than you could actually pay to get a decent airfare.
- Two to Seven and a half months before
Passengers can think of booking two to seven and a half months before as it gets you a decent amount of available choices. It can give you peace of mind knowing that you have bought a preferable airfare right on time. However, if you go high on cost-cutting purchases, this may cost you approximately 14% extra than when you book in between the “prime window”.
- Three weeks to Two and a half weeks before
The appropriate and the most opted choice for travelers lies between three weeks to two and a half weeks before your planned date of take off. Why? Because during this time, most of the airlines offer the lowest prices for their plane tickets. If you are lucky enough to save one for yourself, you might be making the right and cost-effective decision or choice we could say.
The answer to “What is the best time to book a flight” is to book three to two and a half weeks before.
- Two to Three weeks before
If you have yet to purchase your ticket, now that there are only two to three weeks left, you are partially hanging by a thread. You could take a chance and book during this window, but only two things will happen: either you get lucky and get the tickets, which the airlines usually sell at low prices to fill the plane, or you could pay double the fair amount to get the fewer seats available due to the number of passengers waiting to get one.
- One to Two weeks before
Flying too close to the sun never worked for anybody. Passengers hardly find a good deal during this time frame. Even if the seats are available, the airlines are likely to cost you extra, benefiting from your “time in need.” if you want to keep yourself from getting exploited, it’s best that you book during the prime time.
- One week in advance
According to research, you are likey to pay 60% extra if you choose this time frame to buy a flight ticket. If paying 60% extra doesn’t hurt your wallet and sentiments as well, go with booking a week in advance. However, we are pretty sure no one, even the elites, would love to pay such a hefty percentage, which ultimately means the choice to book a week before is completely off the table.
Factors to Consider When Booking a Flight Reservation
Now that we’ve discussed the best times to book a flight ticket, it’s time to learn the tactics for getting cheaper airfares. Factually speaking, any frequent traveler would die to get cheaper reservations. Want to know why? Because saving on flight purchases can mean spending something more meaningful on the trip.
| Go Incognito | Avoid Weekend Flights |
| Clear your Cookies | Use Flight Search Engines |
| Be Flexible | Befriend Budget or Low-cost Airlines |
| Set an Airfare Alert | Keep an Eye on Frequent Flyer Programs |
| Set Price Alert | Be on time; Not Too Early or late |
| Use Points and Miles | Keep Experimenting on the Travel Dates |
| Book on the Cheapest Day (Mid-Week) | Book during the Prime Booking Window |
| Use Flight Comparison Websites | Make a booking directly with the Airlines |
Bottom Line
Booking a flight is as easy as pie, especially when you are known to the tactics that can help you get cheaper or more affordable air fares. With the above-mentioned booking scenarios you can consider the best time to book a flight and consider it done by getting in touch with your preferred airline to know more.
Things to Learn!
Yes. The flight prices may go down during mid night or mid day.
Most airlines usually offer a fresh deal on Tuesday, which may lead to low-cost airfares.
People don’t prefer to take flights early in the morning, which leads the airlines to lower the airfares in order to fill the plane.
Week days are the cheapest to book flights as only a few people would travel, given the work shifts or school schedules of children.
No. It is just a myth.
It entirely depends upon how much seats are left to be filled. However, if you wait that much, you are trying to play with fire.
According to a study by Google, booking 44 days early can get you the best price.
According to a study by Expedia, the best time to buy a flight ticket for domestic travel is 28 to 35 days before your planned departure.
The best time to book a flight ticket to get the best deals is before 129 days. It allows you to benefit from the price drops that often incur during the sales.
The best time to book for winter travel is between 5.5 and 1.5 months (164 and 46 days) in advance of your planned departure date.
To avoid the prices reaching peak, it’s better to book during the month of March for your summer travels.
January is a great time to book flights as the prices are typically lower at the start of the new year after all the holidays are done.