Best Times to Book Domestic Flights This Year
CheapAir.com today published its 8th annual Airfare Study to reveal the best times to buy domestic airline tickets. The online travel agency looked at 917 million airfares in more than 8,000 markets across the United States to find the best time when to book travel for the most value.
On average, the best day to buy a domestic flight is 76 days before departure, 12 days earlier than 2021. Fares changed 53 times after going to market, significantly fewer times compared to 69 times last year. There are multiple factors to consider when booking travel, including price, seating and flight experience, and these all play a role in how far in advance to book for the best deal, CheapAir explains.
Price is usually the first thing that most travelers looks at. For best prices, you should book approximately four months to three weeks in advance of departure. This sweet spot consistently yields the lowest prices for airfare. Compared to last year, this window is one month longer to accommodate today’s climate of increased travel demand, labor shortages, supply chain issues, rising gas prices and more.
This year’s study revealed additional insights to help travelers make the most informed decision when buying flights:
- The cheapest day of the week to fly is Wednesday, saving on average $57 per airline ticket compared to the most expensive day, Sunday.
- The least expensive months to fly are January and February, saving approximately $100 compared to flying around the Christmas holiday.
- For summer vacation plans, August is the most economical month to fly offering better value without the crowds.
Depending on the travel destination, airfare prices can fluctuate more than the average For additional information, data and insights on the best ways to save on airfare, check out the full CheapAir.com 2022 Airfare Study.
