These Are The Best Times To Book Cheap Flights, According To A Travel Agency

With plane ticket prices set to take off this summer, even early birds may not catch the best savings. But a recent analysis of nearly one billion airfares reveals that timing your ticket purchase just right could still save you a bundle on your next trip.

According to online travel agency CheapAir, the ultimate booking window for snagging the best North American flight prices in 2023 is around 1.5 to 5.5 months before takeoff. That's earlier than in previous years, thanks to a perfect storm of high travel demand, staffing shortages and unpredictable fuel prices.

Those factors are causing airfares to soar and dip like a turbulent flight. In fact, from the moment a plane ticket goes on sale, the rate can change an average of 49 times and vary by an average of $58 ($43 USD) per change.

Despite the fluctuation, one thing remains clear: the day of the week you travel is what counts most cost-wise. The report finds that mid-week flights typically provide the greatest value and budget travellers are advised to take that into account when booking.

Wednesday tends to be the cheapest day of the week to fly, saving on average $136 ($100 USD) per fare compared to the most expensive day, Sunday. Tuesday is the second cheapest.

When it comes to price fluctuations by month, the start of the year tends to be more affordable. February offers the lowest flight prices, followed by January. The most expensive travel months are December and July. If you opt to fly in February, instead of December, you can save an average of $155 ($114 USD).

So schedule wisely and don't put off requesting vacation time. After all, the less you spend on airfare, the more you'll have to cover those new visa waiver fees that seem to keep popping up.