Two of the most common questions travelers ask when booking a vacation are when to buy and when to fly. While there is no easy answer for the former, we do have some suggestions for the latter. Prices for flights can vary greatly from week to week, and even day to day, and the day of the week you choose to fly on can make a big difference in how much you end up spending. Just like with yoga, acrobatics, and gymnastics, flexibility is an important tool when booking airfare. Travelers who are flexible with their dates and travel times will have an easier time finding cheap flights than those who can only fly during peak schedules.

Although it is not guaranteed, airfares tend to have the lowest prices on Tuesday and Wednesday departures. In its 5th annual airfare study, CheapAir found that flights on Tuesdays are nearly $85 cheaper, on average, than on Sundays, which is the most expensive day of the week to fly. After that, the next Cheapest Days will vary depending on the route you are traveling, but usually Mondays and Thursdays follow as the next best prices, with Sundays and Fridays being the most expensive.

Budget Airlines, such as Allegiant, Frontier, Norwegian, and Level, that only fly routes a few times per week, also help bring prices down. Check to see what days they are flying to your desired destination, as usually the price for all airlines will be cheaper as a result of their influence. Remember to always check the restrictions with Budget Airlines before you book them.

It is also important to remember that the time of day you choose to fly will also affect the price. Peak times, such as mid-morning and afternoon, will be more expensive than off-peak hours like early morning or late evening. Also, if you are one of those lucky people who can sleep on an airplane, overnight red-eye flights will often be cheaper than daytime flights and are worth considering.

Article referenced from: “The 2 Cheapest Days of the Week to Fly” by Peter Thornton as published on May 13, 2019.