Is it cheaper to book flights after New Years?

We still recommend booking early for the best prices, but if you're just getting around to thinking about New Year's travel, New Year's 2023might be the one year you can still nab an awesome deal relatively late in the game.



People Also Ask

Timing plays an important part. 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.

MORE DETAILS

Domestic airline prices are on the decline in 2023, finally retreating after spiking just a year ago. International fares are still high. After soaring in 2022, prices for domestic airline tickets are on the descent.

MORE DETAILS

According to Going's analysis, travelers want to look for the so-called Goldilocks Window (not too early, not too late) to get the cheapest airfare. For domestic flights, Keyes said that's one to three months in advance for off-peak trips and three to six months for peak-season travel, such as Christmas and New Year's.

MORE DETAILS

Timing plays an important part. 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.

MORE DETAILS

“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.”

MORE DETAILS

Expedia's report also notes travelers can look forward to a 3 percent decrease in booking airfare in 2024, compared to the higher prices of 2022.

MORE DETAILS

Berg says the general rule of thumb is to book your flight three-to-five months out from your departure date. For your summer travel, that means as early as January, which Berg says is one of the best months to snag a good deal. January is one of the cheapest months to buy flight tickets, she tells TODAY.com.

MORE DETAILS

The Cheapest Time to Fly Internationally is from February-March. Granted this one's a bit of a misnomer, because yearly price trends on international flights are typically dictated primarily by the high and low seasons of the destination abroad.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Wednesdays and Thursdays are the cheapest day to fly internationally. Meanwhile, international flyers would be wise to leave on Wednesdays, which are the cheapest day to depart for an international trip. That said, there isn't a huge difference in price across the different days of the week.

MORE DETAILS

So why are flight prices so high right now? It's a concept you're already familiar with: Supply and demand. After it nearly evaporated in 2020, demand for travel is fully back in 2023 and isn't going anywhere. In fact, it might be higher than ever.

MORE DETAILS

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


MORE DETAILS

Tuesday Around Midnight is the Cheapest Time to Book
In general, flights were slightly cheaper at midnight earlier in the week (Monday through Wednesday). However, this is only applicable to about 1.6% of U.S. markets, meaning that it's not likely you'll find the same savings on your specific route.

MORE DETAILS