Will airfare go down in October 2023?

Travel Inflation Report: October 2023. Travel prices are mostly rising again, but the good news for consumers is that at least airfares continue to fall.



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Average fares are currently 36% higher than they were 12 months ago. (Adjusting for inflation, airfare is up 24%.) In 2023, I expect that to reverse and year-over-year fares to fall.

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


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Now, the day of the week you choose to travel does make a difference in the best time to buy flights. In 2023, the cheapest day of the week to fly is Wednesday. Flying on Wednesday will save you almost $100 versus Sunday – the most expensive day to fly.

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Around two to four weeks before your departure is the sweet spot for the best deals on international tickets. Purchasing them on a Sunday could also cut the cost of your travel while Fridays and Saturdays are some of the most expensive days to book.

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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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Seasonally, demand typically slows around mid- to late June, as most travelers have already booked their vacations for peak May, June and July travel. Lower demand for late summer and early fall travel means you may be able to get lower airfare by traveling in September or October.

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Winter is the bargain season to travel, and you can also wait longer to purchase your airline tickets than in any other season. If you like, in the winter months you can wait up to 26 days before departure to get a good flight deal. The spring and fall shoulder seasons offer the next lowest prices for travelers.

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Consider seasonality before booking
Seasonally, demand typically slows around mid- to late June, as most travelers have already booked their vacations for peak May, June and July travel. Lower demand for late summer and early fall travel means you may be able to get lower airfare by traveling in September or October.

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Beginning May 3, 2023, your driver's license will need to be REAL ID-compliant if you want to use it to fly within the U.S. It's part of a law passed by Congress. If your license is not compliant, and you don't have another acceptable form of ID, you'll have trouble getting through airport security.

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Beginning May 3, 2023, your driver's license will need to be REAL ID-compliant if you want to use it to fly within the U.S. It's part of a law passed by Congress.

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“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.”

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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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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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Holiday weekends are likely to remain more expensive, and high-demand routes can flex up and down depending on the season. And international ticket prices remain high. In its summer travel outlook published in May 2023, Hopper estimated flights from the US to Asia and Europe to be $300-$400 more this year than in 2022.

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It's ideal to search for airfare at these moments: International airfare: 6 weeks ahead. Domestic airfare in summer: 47 days ahead. Domestic airfare in autumn and winter: 62–69 days ahead.

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