When Are Flights Cheapest 2024 (2024)

by Haimo

April 3, 2024

Flight prices, like everything else, are currently going up, up, and up. It's getting harder and rarer to uncover great deals and big sales on cheap airfares. That's why now more than ever, you need to know some insider knowledge about when is the best time to buy cheaper flights (e.g., day, time, month). In addition, you don't have to do this alone. Trip.com is here to take the burden off your shoulders and search for those cheap flight deals 2024. You can book with confidence via its app, be protected by the flexible booking guarantee, and get rewarded with trip coins for even more savings.

Flight ticket prices depend on numerous factors like time and date
(Source: Suhyeon Choi/unsplash)

Why do airfares go up and down?

If you want to know when are flights cheapest, you first need to understand why flight prices fluctuate. Like anything else, flight prices are subject to the laws of supply and demand. Factors that affect the supply and demand balance include seasonal changes, holidays, and high or low seasons; the day and time you book your flight; and the timing of your flights. Also, the rising price of jet fuel can significantly affect the price of flights as fuel accounts for a large percentage of airline costs. Currently, the war in Ukraine, higher demand for fuel and travel post-pandemic, and airlines imposing fuel surcharges all lead to higher costs of flights for consumers.

When to book flights?

· Don't shop too early or too late

· For international tickets

· For U.S. domestic tickets

· Prime booking window (21–115 days in advance)

· Most expensive period (0–6 days in advance)

What day are flights cheapest?

In the U.S., Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday are usually the cheapest
(Source: Towfiqu Barbhuiya/unsplash)

If you want to save money, which day of the week you book your flights matters. For example, for business travel dates, mid-week during a holiday period, or major trade shows, airfares tend to cost more as they are in greater demand. So, what day of the week are flights cheapest? According to Trip.com, the cheapest tickets are on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. However, flight prices are affected by several factors, so remember to take a look at Trip.com's low-cost monthly calendar too. One thing to remember is that if you are traveling to a popular business travel destination, ticket prices will most likely hike on Mondays and Fridays as they are peak weekly business travel days. So instead, opt for Tuesday through Thursday for better deals.

Tuesday

For U.S. flights, this is the best time to book your flight. More specifically, Tuesday at about 15:00 eastern time. This is because many airlines release weekly sales early on Tuesday, which creates competition between airlines to match prices.

Overall cheap days

In the U.S., Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday are usually the most affordable. For international travel, weekdays are typically cheaper than weekends.

Most expensive days

Fridays and Sundays usually cost more. Fares usually will be at their highest on Fridays and Sundays as that's when most passengers fly around major holidays.

Adjust the Time of Day You Fly

Set the alarm for early morning bookings (Source: Laura Chouette/unsplash)

It's nice that you now know what day flights are cheapest. What if you can't fly on those cheap days of the week? If your departure date is fixed, one way to still get cheaper flights is to play around with the time of day you fly. Surprisingly this can change the price of your airfare dramatically. Flying at unpopular hours, such as the red-eye or early in the morning, instead of the late morning through afternoon, increases your chance of getting the best deal. Recent statistics showed that flights leaving before 09:00 are cheaper than any other time of the day. The price difference could be as high as 15% cheaper. Depending on the region, there could also be a dip in the prices of flights that leave later in the afternoon.

Other benefits of flying early include a lower risk of delay as your early flight is mostly the first rotation of the day; cleaner planes – boarding an early morning flight means your aircraft shouldn't have leftover rubbish from the flight before; and fresher crew for better and more attentive service.

When are flights cheapest during the year – the dead zones?

They may be called booking dead zones for airlines, but they are definitely booking ideal zones for customers. These low flight booking periods are unpopular flying times because they occur right after a busy holiday or are off-peak seasons due to weather. Besides cheaper flight prices, there are other benefits to booking and traveling during dead zone periods. For example, less crowded airports, shorter lines at tourist attractions, and cheaper hotels and rental car prices.

Here are four of the biggest dead zones of the year.

· Early Dec

· Jan

· Spring

· Fall

When are flights cheapest to book – time of day?

If you are committed to getting the cheapest airfare possible, what time of the day to buy your ticket also matters. Online research has shown that the answer to when are flights cheapest to book on any given day is around 05:00. So, set the alarm, and get up early for that flight deal. To do one even better, booking on a Sunday could also save you money. Remember, this means getting up at 05:00 on Sunday. Also worth noting that other research has also suggested that the best time to book is 13:00 every Wednesday in the time zone of the airline’s hub.

Best Time to Buy First-class Flights

You don't have to pay full price for first-class tickets
(Source: Joakim Honkasalo/unsplash)

Some of you may ask, "when is it cheapest to buy flights that are first class?" While for most people, flying first or business class for cheap seems like an unattainable dream. But there are tricks to get discounts on these premium class tickets too.

Most notably is the when. Fly when business travelers don't, on the weekends, e.g., Saturday and Sunday mornings. With more supply than demand, that leaves more seats available and at lower rates. Another time that you could get your hands on premium seats is to try for an upgrade at check-in (online check-in included). Though this is not guaranteed, if seats are available on your flight on the day, airlines will most likely offer them at a reduced price rate as it is only 24 hours before takeoff.

General Tips About Booking Cheap Flights

There are many tricks to get cheaper flights

(Source: Alexander Schimmeck/unsplash)

–Price comparison is a must

–Be flexible with time and destination

–Non-stops or connecting flights

When are flights the cheapest? Trip.com has got you covered!

Knowing when to buy flights for the cheapest price can be difficult. Why not let Trip.com do all the running around for you? You can search for low-cost airfares by applying filters like date, time, shortest duration, airline, and the number of stops. Trip.com is a one-stop shop for all your travel needs, and you will get rewards and benefits from exclusive member-only discounts.

Download the Trip.com app from the App Store or Trip.com for free

Book with the Trip.com app

The Trip.com travel app is an all-in-one app for all your travel booking, including hotels and flight deals to around 5,000 cities worldwide. The app allows users to filter flights by price, flight duration, airline, etc., receive real-time flight updates, and earn 30% extra Trip Coins with each booking.

Earn Trip Coins and save instantly

Another benefit of booking with Trip.com is the Trip Coins. Users can earn Trip Coins when booking flights, hotels, or other deals on the site. You can spend the Trip Coins like cash for future bookings. The program is free to join. More Trip Coins can be earned by writing hotel and attraction reviews.

Trip.com cheap flight deals and discounts

To save more money on flights, follow the latest news and deals on cheap flights by going to Trip.com. Also, book Trip.com's current promotional offers by clicking the "Deals" button on the far right of the top navigation menu.

For the latest discounts and offers, click the Deals button now

Use Trip.com's Flight Price Trends and Low-season Indicator

You'll always know when is the cheapest time to buy flights with Trip.com's flight price graph and low-season indicator. Easy to operate, users looking for low-price flights can effortlessly spot the cheapest dates for their chosen flight on the flight price trends for the coming months.

Use the flight price graph for easy price comparison

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