Is Sunday a good day to book a flight?

For the past four years, Sunday has been the best day of the week to book flights. Another recent study done by Google found that flight prices on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays were 1.9% cheaper on average than flights on Saturdays and Sundays.



In 2026, Sunday remains statistically one of the best days of the week to book a flight, with data from major travel platforms like Expedia and Google Flights showing that travelers who book on Sundays can save up to 15% to 20% on international and domestic fares. This trend is largely driven by the "leisure booking" cycle; airlines often reset their pricing algorithms over the weekend to target travelers planning their vacations. However, it is vital to distinguish between the booking day and the departure day. While Sunday is great for hitting the "buy" button, it is usually one of the most expensive days to actually fly. For the maximum savings in 2026, the "pro" strategy is to book your tickets on a Sunday but schedule your departure for a Wednesday or Thursday, when airport demand is at its lowest. Additionally, setting up "Price Alerts" on your mobile app ensures you can capitalize on "Flash Sales" that frequently go live on Sunday mornings before the business travel rush begins on Monday.

People Also Ask

In addition, there are no guarantees that you will get a lower price when booking on Sunday versus any other day of the week. Airline ticket prices are far more fluid and can even change by the hour. Your best bet is to start searching early to find better deals, no matter the day of the week.

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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.

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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.

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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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The concept of booking your flight on a specific day to save a bit of money has become one of the most common pieces of quasi-advice among travelers. But the popular travel myth might be just that — a myth — as flight prices these days depend on demand, not the day of the week.

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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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However, airlines say prices change not because of a consumer's search history on a website, or their cookies, but because of inventory updates or glitches on the website, FareCompare's Rick Seaney said in an email.

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World's Best Low-Cost Airlines 2023
  • AirAsia.
  • Scoot.
  • IndiGo.
  • Flynas.
  • Volotea.
  • Transavia France.
  • Sun Country Airlines.
  • Southwest Airlines.


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These days, airlines use complex computer software and algorithms to adjust their prices, so they can respond to supply and demand in real time. For example, if some bookings get canceled close to the flight date, the software might automatically offer those seats at a very low price to make sure they get filled.

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Another recent study done by Google found that flight prices on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays were 1.9% cheaper on average than flights on Saturdays and Sundays. However, Google's conclusion in releasing its study results: “There isn't much value in purchasing your tickets on a certain day of the week.”

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“Historically, Tuesdays were the cheapest day to book flights,” says Laura Lindsay, global travel trends expert for trip-booking website Skyscanner. “This was broadly true prepandemic as seasonality and even weekly pricing cycles were more predictable. However, this is no longer a hard and fast rule.”

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“Despite many reports claiming Tuesday or Wednesday mornings are the best time to book flights, there is no evidence of that being true,” explains Phil Dengler, founder of TheVacationer.com. “Cheap flight prices are available 24/7, so you should not limit yourself to a particular day or time.”

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Book airfare on Sunday. Data shows that, at least a good part of the time, booking airfare on Sunday is cheaper than other days of the week. If you have the option to shop for travel at any time, waiting until Sunday could yield 5 percent to 15 percent in savings.

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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.

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Observed on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (also the charitable day of Giving Tuesday, for what it's worth), Travel Tuesday aims to sling travel deals with the same sort of once-a-year urgency as its more established holiday-shopping counterparts.

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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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