When to Book Cheap Flights: Best Time to Buy Airline Tickets
There is no single magic day to buy a ticket. What does matter is how far ahead you are, how popular your dates are, and how flexible you can be. This guide gives rules of thumb that hold up across most routes.
A reasonable window
- Domestic trips: many travelers find good options roughly one to three months before departure.
- International trips: two to six months ahead is a sensible window, and earlier for peak summer or holiday travel.
- Peak dates: for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, spring break and big events, start looking as soon as your plans are firm.
Why the window is a guide, not a rule
Airlines adjust fares constantly based on how full a flight is. Routes with lots of competition behave differently from routes with one or two airlines, and a sale or a schedule change can move prices overnight.
How to watch a fare
- Pick a route and a few acceptable dates.
- Check the price on several days in a row so you can see the pattern.
- Note what is included in each price: bags, seat selection and change rules.
- Decide on a price you would be happy with, and buy when you see it.
Flexibility is worth more than timing
Moving a trip by a day or two, or flying from or into a nearby airport, often changes the price more than the day you buy. See our guide to choosing between airports for how to compare.
When waiting is risky
If your dates are fixed, the trip is on a holiday weekend, or only a few flights serve your route, waiting usually raises the risk of paying more or finding fewer seats. Remember that a cheap fare is only cheap if it fits your plans, so read the change and cancellation rules first.