Are flights getting cheaper in 2023?

But even compared to pre-pandemic prices, airfares are lower. Average U.S. airfares are more than 6.5% lower in September 2023 than they were in September 2019, meaning prices aren't just lower than they were last year, but even lower than what they were pre-pandemic. September 2023 vs.



Looking back from 2026, 2023 was actually a year of record-high airfares due to "revenge travel" demand and significant airline capacity constraints. While there were brief "fare wars" on specific routes, the general trend in 2023 and 2024 was toward more expensive tickets driven by high fuel costs and labor shortages. However, by late 2025 and early 2026, prices have begun to "level off" or even decrease on some international long-haul routes (especially to Asia) as airlines have finally restored their full pre-pandemic fleets. While domestic U.S. flights remain relatively high due to a "premium-heavy" market, deal-seekers are currently finding better luck in 2026 than they did in the post-Covid "surge" of 2023. The "bottom line" is that while 2023 was expensive, the current market is seeing more competition, which is finally pushing some international prices back down toward 2019 levels.

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But even compared to pre-pandemic prices, airfares are lower. Average U.S. airfares are more than 6.5% lower in September 2023 than they were in September 2019, meaning prices aren't just lower than they were last year, but even lower than what they were pre-pandemic.

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Time your booking right “For domestic flights, if you're talking peak season, it's about three to seven months in advance,” he says. “For international flights — [it's] four to 10 months.”

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Flights are generally the most inexpensive between four months and three weeks before your departure date. Seasonal changes and holidays can create price fluctuations in ticket prices. The day of the week that you book a flight does not affect the price.

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It's likely that domestic airfares will continue to sink through the rest of 2023, says Keyes. But prices still tend to run higher in peak holiday periods. To watch for low fares, you can enter your itinerary at sites such as Google Flights and Kayak and receive e-mail alerts when prices drop.

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Do flight prices go down at the last minute? While there can be a fair amount of price fluctuation several months before travel, once you get within a few weeks of your flight, that airfare is very unlikely to come down. The reality is that last-minute offers just don't come around as often as travelers may think.

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Is there a cheapest month to fly? If you're looking for a bargain month to travel, February is your best bet. Flights in January closely follow February for being most affordable. At the other end of the spectrum, December and July are the first and second most expensive months to travel, on average.

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Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date. According to CheapAir.com, you can expect rates to go up after that period.

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Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically. The cheapest days to depart if you're flying within the U.S. are midweek — generally Tuesday or Wednesday. For economy tickets, Tuesdays are about 24% lower than peak prices on Sundays, which translates to savings of about $85 per ticket.

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This high demand is one factor driving the rising costs, with passengers willing to pay higher prices and many airlines still not back to running their pre-pandemic number of flights. Mr Boland said huge demand for holidays have combined with inflationary pressure to create a “perfect storm of spiralling costs.”

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The cheapest months to travel are:
  • November – early December.
  • Late January – March.


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At midnight, fewer people travel and there is low last-minute reservation so to fill them, they release multiple offers. With these discounts, you can set aside some amount.

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Booking Searches Are Low It is quite obvious that based on searches, airlines vary their prices. At midnight, fewer people are willing to open sites and book tickets. This drops down the overall price of the ticket and you can get the ticket at a very affordable price by dialing 1-802-341-3403.

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In this post
  1. Ignore the Cheap Flight Myths.
  2. Keep Your Plans Flexible & Book Your Flights First.
  3. Flying Direct Can Cost More Money than Time.
  4. Book Cheaper Flights By Traveling at the Right Time.
  5. Sign Up for Discount Flight and Cheap Airfare Notifications.
  6. Start Your Search with Your Best Friend, Google Flights.


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“If it's an off-peak season — not middle of summer, Christmas or New Year's — then booking about one to three months in advance is typically when cheap flights have the highest likelihood of popping up,” he said. “When you're talking about international travel, two to eight months in advance.”

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Skyscanner UK, also way back in 2019, reached a similar conclusion. They found that Sunday was typically the cheapest day to book your flight – while flying out on a Friday would usually help keep costs low.

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There's no sugarcoating it: Airfare is expensive. And while waiting until the last minute might sound like a good idea, it typically is cheaper to book your flights in advance. We are seeing fewer last-minute deals than in years past, especially when it comes to flights, a Kayak spokesperson tells Travel + Leisure.

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It mostly comes down to supply and demand. Demand is contributing to higher prices as travel continues to surge post-pandemic, Berg said. Sustained strong demand in 2023 continues to put additional pressure on prices, especially to and within regions where travel has only recently reopened like parts of Asia.

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How often do airlines update airfare information online? The airlines update fare information 3 times a day. They do not necessarily change airfare prices all three times, but they certainly can, and often do.

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With temperatures hotting up around the USA and across Europe, you can find fantastic cheap flights in May with early summer sunshine included.

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According to a 2022 study by CheapAir.com, on average, the best time to purchase plane tickets for a domestic trip is about 76 days before your departure date. Keep in mind that this is an average — it doesn't mean you should log on exactly 76 days before travel.

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