What is the cheapest day to fly out on?

Average domestic airfare price by day
  • Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically.
  • Saturday and Monday flights can help you avoid the Sunday rush.
  • Wednesdays and Thursdays are the cheapest day to fly internationally.
  • Book one to three months in advance.
  • Set a price alert.




In 2026, Tuesday and Wednesday remain the gold standard for the cheapest days to fly out on for both domestic and international travel. Data from 2025 and early 2026 indicates that mid-week flights can be 15% to 25% cheaper than those on Fridays or Sundays, which are peak times for weekend travelers and business commuters. Saturday afternoons have also emerged as a surprising "budget window" for many domestic routes. While the old myth of "booking on a Tuesday at 3 PM" is largely dead due to real-time AI pricing, the physical act of flying on a Tuesday generally yields the lowest fares because demand is lowest. For 2026 travelers, the "sweet spot" is often a Tuesday departure with a Wednesday or Saturday return. To maximize savings, you should set fare alerts at least 1–3 months in advance, as the day you book is now less important than being flexible with your actual travel dates.

People Also Ask

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.


MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Average domestic airfare price by day
  • Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly domestically.
  • Saturday and Monday flights can help you avoid the Sunday rush.
  • Wednesdays and Thursdays are the cheapest day to fly internationally.
  • Book one to three months in advance.
  • Set a price alert.


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

The Cheapest Airports to Fly Into in Europe
  • Dublin Airport (DUB), Ireland.
  • Rome–Fiumicino International Airport (FCO), Italy.
  • Barcelona El-Prat Airport (BCN), Spain.
  • Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), the Netherlands.
  • Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), France.


MORE DETAILS

The Cheapest Airports to Fly Into in Europe
  • Dublin Airport (DUB), Ireland.
  • Rome–Fiumicino International Airport (FCO), Italy.
  • Barcelona El-Prat Airport (BCN), Spain.
  • Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), the Netherlands.
  • Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), France.


MORE DETAILS

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


MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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


MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

“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.”

MORE DETAILS

Airlines don't restock on the same day every week like a grocery store, so you won't find deals by waiting until Tuesdays to book. However, you might find some modest savings if you're willing to fly on a Tuesday or Wednesday, when there's less demand than usual.

MORE DETAILS

Who is the largest low-cost airline in Europe? The largest low-cost airline in Europe is Ryanair. They're like the Walmart of the skies, always offering great deals and discounts on flights! They fly all over Europe, so if you're looking to jet off on a budget, Ryanair should definitely be at the top of your list.

MORE DETAILS

Round-trip tickets are usually cheaper than one-ways, sometimes significantly so. NerdWallet compared fares across multiple international routes and found that, typically, buying two one-way tickets costs 20% more than a single roundtrip.

MORE DETAILS

United States to Paris flight information
  • The most popular flight routes from United States to Paris are New York City to Paris, Chicago to Paris, Washington to Paris.
  • The cheapest flight from United States to Paris is from Washington to Paris, with airfares starting at USD 273.66.


MORE DETAILS

What's the cheapest city to fly into in Italy? The cheapest city to fly into is Milan, and the cheapest airport serving this city at the moment is Milan Malpensa.

MORE DETAILS