If you're planning an international trip and are pinching a penny, don't stress too much about your airfare budget. Plan ahead and learn the best time to book.
Thanks to regular flash sales from the biggest airlines, you can find great deals all year round, but you can't always rely on timing. In these situations, it is good to look at the wider booking trends and seasonality of destinations when deciding whether to book in advance.
When is the best time to buy international flights? Is it worth waiting for a last minute deal or should I lock that airfare at this moment?
A complete guide to the best times to book cheap airfares offers a good summary.
In general, TPG recommends that you need to plan a 3-5 month reservation for international flights. There are many myths about cheap bookings. Something that doesn't help? Prices will not change when you delete cookies on your computer or use a private browser. Also, it doesn't help you buy on a specific day or time of the week, but there are a few hacks, such as departing and booking, or booking when the demand for business trips is the latest.
Cheap – A website where you can search for cheap airfares and compare flights – we've done our own analysis. We have looked at all possible days to book trips from the US to different regions around the world and identified the best days to get the cheapest airfares.
What day of the week is the cheapest to fly?
Generally, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest weeks to fly. Sundays are often the most expensive. On average, you can save between $25 and $350 by traveling on a Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on your destination. However, if you book accurately, it will vary from region to region.
You can find a summary of other findings from the website and a more detailed breakdown of Cheapair results below.
Canada
Best Time to Buy: Travel Months 3 to 5 months before travel: Most Expensive Months in October: July
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Spring and fall fares tend to be slightly better than winter and summer fares. If you are traveling as a family, you may think these savings are worth it. If you're a solo traveler, this amount is quite minimal and may not be worth changing your travel plans to stay in your wallet.
Travel Tips: Demand between the US and Canada is declining in light of geopolitical circumstances, so you can find a deal right now.
Mexico
Best Time to Buy: Travel Months 2 weeks to 6 months before the trip: Most expensive months in September: August and December
Airfares to Mexico are pretty consistent throughout the year, but if you want to save on pennies, you could potentially get a little cheaper in September, January and February.
Roughly speaking, unless you're looking for a December holiday, you don't need to spend too much time between booking and traveling. If so, it is best to book six months before your trip date.
Travel Tips: Look for deals from airlines such as Alaska Airlines and JetBlue, which often sell flights in Mexico.
Caribbean
Best Time to Buy: 1-11 Months Before Travel: Months Before Travel: Most Expensive Months in January, September, October: December
Traveling from the US to the Caribbean is relatively easy if you are looking for the best price.
Travel Tips: If you are looking for a Christmas escape, we recommend booking about 5 months in advance before planning your trip. During the summer, you can find a good deal about a month or two before your trip.
south america
Best time to buy: 5 weeks to 11 months before trip: Most expensive months in September, October and February: December
Naturally, it is more expensive to fly to both Central and South America during the summer and winter, especially during holidays.
If you're looking for the perfect window, consider traveling to the area during spring or fall shoulder season. Ticket prices are on average about $50 to $60 less than other seasons.
Travel Tips: Beware of airline transactions such as American Airlines, Ratum and Birds, as flight deals are often found in both South and Central America.
South Pacific
Best Time to Buy: Travel 1 month before to 1 month before travel: January, April, May, the most expensive months to travel: November and December
Flights to French Polynesia and other hotspots to South Pacific are generally expensive, but you can still find deals. Cheapair recommends bookings 54 days to 8 months in advance of your trip. Set up Google Flights Alert and monitor the price when you want to purchase. If you see a deal, jump on it.
Travel Tips: Try booking from Los Angeles with airlines such as French honeybees and Air Tahitinui, to places like Papite, French Polynesia, etc.
Asia
Best Time to Buy: 1-7 months before your trip: The most expensive month in January and November: June
I found airfares to Asia generally expensive, but like the South Pacific, there are sometimes trades. To find the best prices, book at least one month in advance, ideally 3-5 months in advance of your trip. Cheapair Reports Seven months is ideal, but searching for 7 months has proven that it's not the perfect sweet spot.
The busiest months tend to be August and December (around the Christmas rush). If there is flexibility, better prices may be offered in spring and fall.
Travel Tips: Asia is the perfect place to use your points and miles. I have had many success booking business class trips to Asia with my Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan or American Airlines AADVantage. If you are paying cash, don't forget to set up these Google Flight Alerts.
Europe
Best time to buy: 5-8 months before trip: Travel costs for October, November, January, February, March: Travel costs: May, June, July
Needless to say, the most expensive time to travel to Europe is in the summer months. The average airfare is regularly offered for over $1,100. Plus, upon arrival, you will compete for space with European vacationers looking for sun near your home.
That said, I've been watching contract alerts to Europe all year round. With caution, you can usually find round-trip transactions under $500, but there may be discounted airlines like Atlantic Airlines in the North.
He also adds that the traditional high summer season has recently begun and finished, kicking off peak trips in May and ending in August.
If you are flexible with your travel date, you will find that on average, seasonal fall shoulder fares are around $200 less than summer fares. Depending on your destination, you can chase the weather and sunbathing with sunny weather.
With consistent flights to Europe running throughout all seasons, you can find good fares in the fairly late in the game. If you want to resolve your plans earlier, book around 6-7 months before your trip.
Travel Tips: Follow social media accounts such as TPG (@ThePointSGuy on X and Instagram), Thrifty Traveler (@thriftyTraveler on X and Instagram), or Go (@in progress on X, @progress on Instagram) to find frequent deals to Europe.
middle east
Best time to buy: 3-6 months before your trip: Most expensive months in October, November, and February: December
The sweet spot for booking flights from the US to the Middle East appears to be around 3-6 months in advance before travelling.
The winter and summer days are the busiest here, so if you're traveling in spring and fall, you'll have a little more room on when to book. You can find good deals for as little as 3 months before you travel.
Travel Tips: You can also find deals in high season. Don't forget that the weather can be extremely hot here. Therefore, if you are willing to travel in the hottest months, you may win a bargain.
Africa
Best time to buy: 3-6 months before your trip: Most expensive months in October, November, and February: December
If you are planning to escape to Africa, it is wise to book your flight as soon as possible throughout most of the year. Flights are relatively expensive.
The only outlier is if you want to visit in the spring. This means that you can frequently get good deals on flights that are very close to the planned departure date three months ago.
Travel Tips: Don't forget that some parts of the continent have a rainy season during spring.
Conclusion
If you can plan far ahead, you can pay to book your trip months in advance. Even if the booking window is short, you can still find a good fare as long as you can be flexible in both your destination and the conditions of your chosen locale. (Trades are generally available during offseason periods where the weather may not be entirely desirable.)
Note: The above information is a fairly consistent guide to finding the best travel prices, but there are always outliers. For example, a trip to Munich during the Oktoberfest would probably be more costly, as it is probably at a peak for tourists. In these examples it is often worth checking flight deals or offering flash sales.
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