It’s not even fall yet, but many are already looking ahead to vacations at Thanksgiving or the winter holidays. But is now the best time to buy plane tickets for holiday travel, or is it better to wait until closer to your expected travel time? And when are the best days to fly to get cheap plane tickets?
The Google Flights team last year examined five years’ worth of airfare data to find patterns on the cheapest days to fly and the best time for booking your flights during each season, and some of those trends have changed in 2023. Here are the cheapest days and times of the year to buy plane tickets.
Read more: Use Your iPhone to Easily Monitor Flight Delays and Cancellations
Cheapest day of the week to fly
If you’re planning to book a flight, you may be trying to find the cheapest option. According to Google, it’s cheaper to fly in the middle of the week, rather than on the weekend. Flights that take off between Monday and Wednesday can be between 12% and 20% cheaper than weekend flights. Sundays are an expensive day to depart, Google says.
You could also save roughly 20% by booking a layover flight instead of a nonstop flight if you don’t mind the extra time it takes to get to your destination.
When is the best time to buy airline tickets?
Though you may’ve heard it’s cheaper to book and pay for your plane tickets on a Tuesday rather than a Saturday, that’s not necessarily true.
Best Time to Get Cheap Plane Tickets: Here’s What the Data From Google Flights Says
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