What day of the week are international flights cheapest?

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.



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While the cheapest day to actually pay for airfare can vary from one week to the next, Expedia data shows consumers who book airfare on Sundays instead of Fridays tend to save approximately 5 percent on domestic flights and 15 percent on international airfare.

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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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Generally speaking, you should start looking for international flights about 10 to 11 months in advance of your travel dates. The key is to check regularly so you can see as prices fluctuate from week to week or month to month. You should aim to book about five to six months in advance.

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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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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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It's often much cheaper to travel from May to early June and September through mid-October. The weather is still relatively warm during the shoulder season, and you'll beat the crazy summer crowds. This is when we find the best international flight deals!

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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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Key Takeaways
  • The late fall and winter months—from mid to late October through mid-to-late March—are often the cheapest time to fly to Europe (though fares can spike in December).
  • It's often cheaper to fly to Europe mid-week, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, in particular.


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Just like us after a night of good sleep, airline circulation is freshest in the morning. If your flight departs in the morning, you are less likely to be affected by delays that stack up during the day and push back or cancel departure times.

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Most affordable day of the week to travel Data shows that, almost across the board, travelers who flew on Wednesdays instead of the beginning of a week saved this much on domestic flights. For international flights, savings from flying on a Wednesday averaged out at 10 percent when compared to flying on a weekend date.

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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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Time your booking right “For international flights — [it's] four to 10 months.” If you're traveling during an off-peak season, you're going to want to look at airfares one to three months in advance for domestic flights, and two to eight months ahead of the flight for international trips.

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As we've shown, the price of ticket on any one flight will change – and can even change multiple times a day. You simply do not have the time to mull things over and to shop around the Internet indefinitely to “make sure” you're getting the best deal.

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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.

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Airfares flex like crazy, but in general it's wise to start looking for international flights at least four to six months before your trip, especially for travel in spring, summer, or fall.

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In our experience, while fantastic deals can pop up at any time, the best time to book a flight (what we call the Goldilocks Window) is 1–3 months ahead for domestic travel and 2–8 months ahead for international travel—unless your trip is around a popular holiday or peak travel time, or you have very specific travel ...

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Average domestic airfare price by day 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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Book your flights for the middle of the week According to a recent Google study, flying during the middle of the week will get you the best deal. On those days, tickets are roughly 12% to 20% cheaper than flying on a weekend day.

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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.1 There may, of course, be some compounding factors that can affect this.

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Best Time To Book International Flights According to a study conducted by Expedia, data shows that you want to book at least six months in advance for international travel. The study found you'll save an average of 10% by booking six months in advance instead of two months or less.

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