Best Time to Book a Flight: Insider Tips for Securing the Cheapest Flights

Are you tired of searching for flights only to find they’re way more expensive than the ads promised? We’ve all been there.

But don’t worry—we have some flight hacks that can help you get the best deals and save a lot of money on your next trip.

So, let’s uncover how you can beat the system and fly for less!

1. Book at the Right Time and Day

You’ve probably heard that booking flights on Tuesdays was the way to go, but that’s old news.

Back in the day, airlines would drop prices on Mondays, leading to cheaper fares on Tuesdays. But things have changed with how airlines price their tickets now.

According to a 2023 analysis by Expedia, a travel group, Sundays are now the best days to book flights. Why? It could be because more price-conscious leisure travelers plan their trips on Sundays, while business travelers usually book during the week.

Fewer people book on Sundays, so airlines might lower prices to fill seats. Interestingly enough, booking on a Sunday can save you up to 13% on international flights compared to Fridays, which are usually more expensive due to business travelers wrapping up their week.

While Sundays are a good bet, prices vary depending on holidays, special events, or school breaks.

Also, consider booking your flights early in the morning or late at night. Sometimes, airlines release cheaper seats after midnight when they refresh their inventory, so you might get a deal if you’re an early bird or a night owl.

2. Timing Your Booking Right

Next on our list of flight hacks is timing, which is key when booking flights. Whether you’re traveling internationally or domestically, booking too early or too late can cost you more.

International Flights 

The sweet spot for booking international trips is about 60 days before you leave. This is when you’ll likely find a good balance between availability and price.

However, booking 3-4 months in advance is better if you’re traveling during peak seasons like summer or Christmas. Also, remember that the best booking window can vary by region.

For instance, flights to Europe might be cheapest 129 days in advance, while trips to Mexico or the Caribbean are best booked around 59 days before departure.

Another couple of things to note: Prices can change due to demand, fuel costs, or even world events, so keep an eye on fares even after you book. If prices drop, many airlines will let you rebook and give you the difference as a travel voucher.

Domestic Flights 

When flying domestically, aim to book 28-44 days before your trip. During this time, airlines have a better idea of how full their flights are and might lower prices to fill up seats. In fact, booking within this window can save you up to 24% compared to last-minute bookings.

Nonetheless, booking too early might not get you the best deal either, as airlines often adjust prices as the departure date gets closer.

As a general rule of thumb, mid-week flights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) are cheaper than weekend or Monday and Friday flights, which are popular for leisure and business travel.

If you need to travel during school holidays or long weekends, try to book as soon as the optimal window opens to avoid price spikes.

3. Use Price Tracking Tools

If you haven’t used price tracking tools before, they’re a smart way to score the best flight deals without constantly checking prices yourself.

The good news is that these tools do the heavy lifting, sending you alerts when prices drop so you can book at the perfect time.

Google Flights is one of the best tools for searching for flights and setting up price alerts. You can track prices for specific routes and dates or keep it flexible.

When prices drop, you’ll receive an email to jump on the deal. The email also shows past price trends, helping you decide whether to book now or wait.

Just search for your flight route and dates, toggle the “Track prices” button, and you’re all set to get alerts.

If you use Capital One Travel, powered by Hopper, their “watch this trip” feature is a great option. It tracks price changes and sends you alerts when it’s an excellent time to book. Also, you can filter out basic economy fares or focus on non-stop flights to match your preferences.

Other tools, like Hopper and Skyscanner, offer similar price tracking and predictions. Hopper is especially helpful because it predicts whether prices will go up or down, helping you decide whether to book now or wait.

And Skyscanner’s “Price Alert” feature also notifies you when prices drop for the flights you’re watching.

Pro Tip: Set up multiple alerts for different departure airports or nearby cities to find even better deals. Tracking prices over a longer period gives you a better sense of trends, helping you make smarter booking choices.

4. Book Changeable Flights and Rebook If Prices Drop

When prices are everywhere, booking changeable flights is a good move. Thankfully, many airlines now let you change standard economy tickets for free, so if prices drop after you book, you can rebook at the lower price.

Here’s how it works: Book a flight at a price you’re okay with, then keep an eye on prices. If the fare drops, you can cancel your original booking and rebook the same flight at a lower cost.

While you won’t get cash back, most airlines will give you a travel voucher for the difference, which you can use on your next trip.

This strategy pays off if you travel often or have more trips planned. By collecting vouchers when you rebook at lower prices, you’ll save on future travel costs.

Just make sure you know your ticket’s fare class and change policies, as basic economy tickets usually don’t allow free changes. To effectively use this strategy, stick with standard economy or higher.

5. Use the Capital One Travel Price Drop Protection

Capital One Travel offers a cool feature called Price Drop Protection, which gives you extra peace of mind when booking.

Powered by Hopper, this tool uses advanced algorithms to predict whether fares will go up or down, helping you get the best deal.

When you book a flight through Capital One Travel, the system checks tons of data to see if prices are likely to change. If it suggests booking now and you do, you’re automatically covered by Price Drop Protection.

In the case your flight’s price drops after you book, Capital One Travel will credit you up to $50 in travel credit for the difference.

To use this feature, you need a Capital One credit card and must book through their travel portal. While the $50 credit limit might seem small, it adds up if you book multiple flights.

Combine this feature with other price-tracking tools to make sure you’re always getting the best deal on your flights.

6. Consider Flying to or From Alternate Airports

To save money, flying from or into different airports often does the trick. Most people automatically go for the big, well-known airports. Still, smaller or less busy ones sometimes have cheaper flights because they’re less in demand and more affordable for airlines to operate.

Big airports like Chicago O’Hare (ORD) or New York JFK (JFK) tend to have higher prices because they’re more popular.

But you might find better deals if you consider smaller airports like Chicago Midway (MDW) or New York LaGuardia (LGA).

In Europe, flying to London Gatwick (LGW) instead of London Heathrow (LHR) can save you money, especially with budget airlines.

However, when choosing a smaller airport, of course, think about how you’ll get there and back.

Sometimes, the savings on the flight can be wiped out by expensive ground transportation, but many smaller airports have decent public transport or affordable shuttles.

Also, smaller airports might have different baggage rules or fewer services, so it’s good to check these details, especially if you’re flying with a budget airline.

Insider Tip: Use tools like Google Flights or Skyscanner to simultaneously search flights from multiple airports. This way, you can easily compare prices and see if flying from a different airport is worth it.

7. Be Flexible with Flight Times

Keep in mind that being flexible with your flight times can save you a lot of money. Airlines adjust prices based on demand, so flying during off-peak hours usually costs less.

Flights early in the morning (before 8 AM) or late at night (after 8 PM) are often cheaper because fewer people want to fly at those times. You can score better deals if you’re okay with an early start or a late arrival.

Moreover, midweek flights, especially on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, are cheaper since most people travel on Mondays, Fridays, or weekends.

Around holidays and big events, flight prices usually spike due to high demand. But you might find cheaper fares if you’re willing to fly on the holiday itself, like Christmas Day or Thanksgiving. Similarly, flying a few days before or after a major holiday can save you money.

Pro Tip: Use flight search tools with flexible date options to compare prices across different days and times. Google Flights’ “Date Grid” or “Price Graph” features can help you spot the cheapest flying times.

8. Consider Multi-Leg Flights

Our next flight hack is to book multi-leg flights with layovers, as they can be a smart way to save money, especially on long trips where direct flights are often pricier.

Multi-leg flights are usually cheaper because they’re less convenient. For instance, flying from New York to London with a stop in Reykjavik might be less expensive than going direct. You can save even more if the layover is in a city with lower airport taxes or less demand.

Layovers might add travel time, but they can also be an opportunity to explore a new city if you have a long enough stop. Also, some airports or airlines even offer free or low-cost tours during long layovers.

However, make sure you have enough time between flights to handle any delays, especially if you’re switching airlines or terminals. If you book separate tickets with different airlines, remember that your checked bags might not be automatically transferred, so plan for that.

Bonus: Use flight search engines like Google Flights’ “Multi-City” search or KAYAK’s “Hacker Fares” to find multi-leg itineraries that save money. You can also try AirWander, which specializes in finding layovers that could turn into a mini stopover vacation.

9. Subscribe to Flight Deal Alerts

To catch the best deals, consider signing up for flight deal alerts. This is a great way to get super cheap fares, especially if you’re flexible about when and where you travel.

It’s great as these services scan prices daily and tell you when there’s a big drop or deal from your favorite airports.

Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) is one of the most popular options around. They send hand-picked flight deals straight to your inbox. If you start with the free version, you’ll get limited alerts, but upgrading unlocks more frequent and exclusive discounts.

Ideal for both international and domestic flights, Going is perfect if you’re up for spontaneous trips. They even claim you can save up to 90% on flights with their deals.

FareDrop, created by travel YouTubers Kara and Nate, customizes flight deals based on your departure airport and destination preferences.

You can set filters like maximum travel time or the number of layovers. Their premium service gives you more frequent alerts and extra customization options.

Thrifty Traveler Premium specializes in finding deals on flights, including business class and premium economy, which can help you save a lot on more luxurious travel.

Essentially, they focus on mistake fares—those rare pricing errors that can result in super low prices. Amazingly, the alerts help you catch these deals before they disappear.

Dollar Flight Club offers both free and premium services. With the premium version, you receive more frequent and targeted alerts for both domestic and international flights.

Additionally, they offer a “Luxe” membership that focuses on business and first-class deals. You can customize alerts based on your home airport and favorite destinations, making it a great option if you have specific travel goals.

Expert Advice: Even if you have a set destination, these alerts can introduce you to amazing deals on places you haven’t considered. This is super valuable if you’re flexible with your travel plans, letting you build an itinerary around the cheapest destinations.

10. Use Tech Tools for Predictive Booking

Tech tools for smart booking are really helpful when figuring out the best time to book flights. They analyze past trends and current data to guide you.

Plus, these tools can predict if prices will go up or down, so you know the best time to grab a deal.

Google Flights is great for searching and comparing flights, and it also gives you insights based on past price data.

You might see messages like “Prices are high for your dates” or “Prices are unlikely to decrease,” which can help you decide whether to book now or wait.

In addition, it shows how prices have changed over time, giving you a better idea of when to book.

Hopper is an app that predicts the best time to book flights and hotels. It checks billions of prices daily and offers personalized advice.

For easy planning, Hopper’s color-coded calendar shows the cheapest dates to fly, and its price prediction feature advises whether to book now or wait. Additionally, the app includes a “Price Freeze” feature that lets you lock in a price for a small fee, giving you more time to decide.

Kayak Price Alerts is another handy tool for smart booking. After you search for a flight, you can set up an alert to notify you if prices drop. Kayak also offers a “Price Forecast” that predicts whether fares will rise or fall soon, which helps you decide when to book.

Useful Hack: Combine these predictive tools with price tracking alerts to maximize your chances of getting the lowest fare.

For example, you can use Google Flights to see if prices are generally high or low for your dates, then set up a price alert on Hopper or Kayak to catch any big drops.

11. Avoid Peak Travel Periods

Traveling during peak times can seriously increase your flight costs since airlines raise prices when demand is high. To save money, plan your trips during off-peak seasons when fewer people are flying and airlines lower prices to fill seats.

• Seasonal Considerations: Most places have clear peak seasons when demand—and prices—are highest.For example, summer (June to August) is the peak travel season for Europe, but prices drop in the fall (September to November) and winter (January to March), except for holidays.Similarly, the Caribbean is most expensive in winter, while late spring and early fall offer better deals.

• Holiday Travel: Major holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s are peak travel times with high prices.If possible, avoid flying just before or after these holidays. However, flying on the holiday itself (like Christmas Day or Thanksgiving) can sometimes be cheaper since fewer people travel then.

• School Breaks and Events: School vacations, especially summer and spring breaks, are high-demand periods with higher prices. If you don’t have kids in school, it’s best to avoid these times.Also, big events like the Olympics or World Cup can spike prices for certain destinations, so keep that in mind when planning.

Quick Tip: If you must travel during peak periods, try to book as early as possible, ideally right when the booking window opens (around 11 months before departure for most airlines).

Alternatively, you can save money by flying from alternate airports or choosing less convenient flight times, even during busy times.

12. Be Flexible with Destinations

If you’re flexible with your destination, you can really save on flights. When your travel dates are set, but you’re open to different locations, it’s easier to find deals based on varying prices across destinations.

Google Flights has an “Explore” tool that’s perfect if you’re not fixed on a destination. Just enter your departure city, choose “Explore destinations,” and see a map showing the cheapest fares to different places worldwide on your selected dates.

Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” search offers a similar feature. You enter your departure airport, pick “Everywhere” as your destination, and get a list of the cheapest flights to various spots. Then, you can choose based on price.

By staying open to different destinations, you might find unexpected deals. For example, if you plan to visit Paris but notice a price drop on flights to Rome or Amsterdam, you might decide to explore one of those cities instead.

If you’re feeling adventurous, use Google Flights or Skyscanner to search for the cheapest fares across different dates. Sometimes, flying a day earlier or later can open up new, more affordable destinations within your budget.

13. Check One-Way and Round-Trip Options

It’s easy to assume round-trip tickets are always cheaper, but that’s not always true. Sometimes, booking two one-way flights can actually save you money.

Airlines often price one-way tickets differently, so booking a one-way flight to your destination with one airline and a return flight with another might be cheaper than a round-trip ticket with the same airline.

If you’re visiting multiple places, consider an “open-jaw” ticket, which allows you to fly into one city and out of another. Pairing this with one-way tickets can give you more flexibility and potentially lower costs.

For domestic or regional travel, low-cost airlines often have competitive one-way fares. When booking one-way tickets, remember to check baggage policies and extra fees, as these can add up and reduce your savings.

14. Take Advantage of Waived Change Fees

With many airlines dropping change fees, you now have more flexibility to lock in a good deal without stressing about missing out if prices drop later.

If fares go down, you can cancel your original booking and rebook at the lower rate, often receiving a travel credit or voucher for the difference.

Major U.S. airlines like Delta, United, and American Airlines have permanently eliminated change fees on most standard economy and higher fare classes. However, basic economy tickets are usually excluded.

To get the most out of this, use tools like Google Flights or Hopper to monitor flight prices after you book and take advantage of waived change fees if prices drop.

15. Search for Last-Minute Rewards

Booking last-minute flights can be pricey, but it’s a great chance to use your frequent flyer miles or rewards points.

Airlines often release unsold seats at lower mileage rates close to the departure date, making it a good time to redeem your points.

Before your trip, check if you can use any accumulated miles to reserve a reward seat. If nothing shows up online, calling customer service or the loyalty program desk might reveal more options.

If you have credit card points, transferring them to airline partners often provides better deals than booking directly through the credit card’s travel portal.

When booking last-minute flights with rewards, check the cancellation and change policies for added flexibility if your plans change.

16. Consider Fifth Freedom Flights

Fifth freedom flights are a great way to find cheap tickets. These are routes where an airline from one country flies between two other countries, and they often come with some serious perks.

Because these flights are part of longer international routes, you might get to enjoy bigger planes with better amenities, and the flights are often less crowded.

This setup works because airlines get special rights to fly between two foreign countries as part of a longer route to their home base.

For example, Emirates flies from New York to Milan as part of its Dubai route, and Singapore Airlines flies from Frankfurt to New York on its way to Singapore. As a result, such flights can be cheaper because airlines price them competitively to fill seats on these specific legs.

Plus, the planes are usually more comfortable, with better meals and entertainment since they’re designed for longer trips.

You can find these flights by using search engines like Google Flights or Skyscanner. Another option is to check out travel blogs or industry websites for lists of these routes.

Just make sure to compare these flights with other options. Even if they’re a bit more expensive, the added comfort and perks might be worth it, especially on longer flights.

17. Be Aware of Skiplagging Risks

Skiplagging, or hidden city ticketing, can save you money, but it comes with some risks. Basically, this is when you book a flight with a layover at your real destination and skip the final leg.

For example, if a flight from New York to Los Angeles with a layover in Chicago is cheaper than a direct flight to Chicago, you book the New York to Los Angeles flight and just get off in Chicago.

However, airlines don’t like this and might cancel the rest of your trip, void your frequent flyer miles, or even ban you from flying with them.

Plus, skip-lagging only works if you have carry-on luggage because checked bags go to the final destination.

That said, ethical concerns arise since airlines argue that skiplagging messes with their pricing models. So, if you decide to try this, do it rarely and know the risks.

Always book one-way tickets if you’re skiplagging, as airlines are likelier to cancel the return leg if they catch on.

18. Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate

Most people don’t think of negotiating when booking flights, but it can be handy, especially for last-minute bookings or if you’re dealing with overbooked flights.

If you’re booking directly with an airline or at the airport, asking for upgrades or discounts doesn’t hurt. For example, you might get a discounted upgrade if the flight isn’t full by politely asking the check-in agent.

If your travel plans are flexible, ask about deals to switch to a less busy time or route. Airlines sometimes offer vouchers or future travel credits to passengers willing to change their plans during peak travel periods.

If you’re using a travel agent, they might also be able to negotiate better deals for you. The key is to be polite, patient, and flexible. Even if you don’t get a discount, you might score perks like priority boarding or extra baggage allowance.

19. Consider Booking Directly with Airlines

Booking directly with the airline has its perks. For one, in the U.S., airlines must allow you to cancel a flight for a full refund within 24 hours of booking if the flight is at least seven days away. And this gives you some flexibility to grab a deal and reconsider without losing money.

It’s also generally easier to change your reservation when you book directly with the airline. However, it’s not uncommon for third-party sites to charge extra fees or require you to deal with the airline directly, which can be a hassle.

And, airlines usually give better customer support to those who book directly with them. Additionally, booking directly also ensures you get the most frequent flyer miles and any elite status benefits.

Before booking directly, though, compare prices on third-party sites to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

20. Use Your Credit Card Travel Perks

It’s worth noting that travel credit cards come with perks that can save you money and make your trips more enjoyable.

Beyond just earning points or miles, these cards can offer free checked bags, airport lounge access, and travel protections.

You can earn points or miles on every purchase, which can be redeemed for free flights, upgrades, or vacation packages.

Many airline credit cards also offer a free checked bag for the cardholder and sometimes for companions on the same reservation, saving you a lot of money.

High-end cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or American Express Platinum even give you access to airport lounges, where you can relax, enjoy free food, and use amenities like Wi-Fi and showers before your flight.

Travel credit cards often include protections like trip cancellation insurance and baggage delay insurance, which can save you money and give you peace of mind if something goes wrong.

On top of that, premium cards also reimburse fees for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, saving you time at airport security.

To get the most out of your travel credit card, use it for all your travel-related purchases and take advantage of welcome bonuses by meeting the minimum spending requirements within the first few months.

Book Smarter and Save Big!

Now that you’ve got all the insider tips under your belt, you’re ready to start booking smarter and saving big on your next flight.

No more overpaying or missing out on deals! So, start searching, use those tricks, and watch the savings add up.

Safe travels, and happy booking!