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.

Statistically, the answer for 2026 is no; flight prices almost always trend upward as the departure date approaches. Airlines use sophisticated revenue management algorithms that identify "last-minute" travelers (often business flyers) as being less price-sensitive, so they aggressively hike fares in the final 14 to 21 days before a flight. Current data suggests the "sweet spot" for booking domestic flights is roughly 1 to 3 months out, while international routes hit their lowest price point 2 to 6 months in advance. While "last-minute deals" used to be common in the early 2000s to fill empty seats, modern AI-driven load forecasting is so accurate that most flights are nearly full, leaving little incentive for carriers to slash prices. The only exception occurs if a flight is significantly under-performing its sales targets or if a competitor launches a "flash sale" on the same route, but relying on this is a high-risk gamble that usually ends in "sticker shock" for the procrastinating traveler.