Is Sunday the best day to travel?

Sunday is still the most expensive day to travel but those who choose to go on Thursday will save, on average, 13% compared to other days. While the tradition of looking for that last-minute deal is hard to break, this year made the importance of booking in advance even more evident.



Sunday is generally not the best day to travel if your goal is to save money or avoid crowds. In 2026, Sunday remains the most expensive day of the week for both domestic and international flights, as it is the primary return day for weekend travelers and the start of the week for business commuters. Flying on a Sunday can cost 10% to 15% more than mid-week flights. For the best deals, Tuesday and Wednesday are the "golden days" for travel, offering significantly lower fares and quieter airports. However, Sunday can be "best" in a non-financial sense: it allows you to maximize your weekend and return home in time for work on Monday. If you must fly on Sunday, booking your ticket on a Saturday or late Friday may sometimes reveal small price drops, though the flights themselves will likely remain packed compared to the Tuesday lull.

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Before you book your flights, you may want to think about changing the day you fly. New research has found that flying on a Sunday is the worst day of the week.

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Cheapest day of the week to fly 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.

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According to a recent study by Expedia, the cheapest day to book flights is Sunday. When comparing Sunday flight prices to Friday, Expedia found that travelers save 5% on domestic flights and 15% on international flights. For the past four years, Sunday has been the best day of the week to book flights.

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Saturday and Monday flights can help you avoid the Sunday rush. Saturdays and Mondays are the next cheapest days to fly after midweek flights. The average airfare is about 13%-15% lower on these days.

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While it's important to note that the best day of the week to fly varies based on the route, typically, the best days of the week to fly are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The general rule is that mid-week flights will be cheaper and quieter.

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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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There is no single day of the week that is best to book a flight. You can find deals any day of the week since flight prices fluctuate with demand.

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TSA is projecting to screen 2.6 million passengers on Tuesday, Nov. 21; 2.7 million passengers on Wednesday, Nov. 22 and 2.9 million passengers on Sunday, Nov. 26, which will likely be the busiest travel day.

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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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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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Book your holiday on a Wednesday Holiday prices often fluctuate throughout the week, so it's best to avoid booking on weekends, Sky News reports. Norton Finance recommends booking on a Wednesday, which is likely to create a 5% saving if you tried to do so on a Wednesday.

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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.

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Impact on your trip to the airport The paradigm used to be, (with) business travelers, Monday mornings were really busy. It has switched over, Howell said, noting that Fridays and Sundays now tend to be the busiest days of the week as flyers travel for the purposes of weekend getaways.

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Flights that departed before 6 a.m. and from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. were nearly as good. Delay times increase from there. After 8 a.m., for every hour later you depart, the average delay time increases by about one minute. The average delay time peaks at 20.7 minutes from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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The night and early morning is the best time to fly if you want to avoid turbulence. Daytime flights are commonly more turbulent. This is because at night, wind speeds are generally reduced and the temperature is cooler.

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