At some point, nearly all travelers will experience the demoralizing task that is searching for cheap flights when there are none: Anxiously setting price alerts, comparing alternative airports, and desperately attempting every travel hack that comes across your TikTok feed. Amidst the frantic goose chase, you may find yourself asking a simple question with a complicated answer. Is there a best day of the week to buy airline tickets?
In recent years, this type of booking strategy has become largely passé. That’s because airline pricing models have become infinitely more complex. “Many moons ago, when airlines would load schedules once or twice a week, on a certain day you were able to snag the better priced inventory early,” says Katy Nastro, a spokesperson and air travel expert at flight deal site Going.com. “Those days are long gone, and airlines are pricing and repricing in real time, multiple times a day, mostly based on demand and inventory.”
However, there is some data that purports that some days of the week will, on average, have less expensive airfare than others. According to a 2026 report from Expedia, for example, Friday is the cheapest day of the week to book airline tickets, with fares slightly reduced by an average of 3% compared to other days.
The timing of when you purchase a flight ticket can indeed add up to significant savings, but it’s not necessarily the day of the week that’s the deciding factor. Here’s what travelers should know about when to buy airline tickets to find affordable flights.
It’s booking windows—not specific days—that really count
Instead of asking if there’s a best day to buy airline tickets, the more relevant question travelers should be asking is how far in advance should I buy airfare? Purchasing airline tickets during a prime booking window is one of the sure-fire ways to find reasonable prices, pricing data shows. Going calls these “Goldilocks Windows,” or times when the pricing is just right to find a deal.
During peak seasons like summer or winter holidays, travelers should plan to book 3 to 7 months in advance for domestic trips and 4 to 10 months ahead for international flights, according to Going’s data. Outside of peak times, those windows shrink to 1 to 3 months for domestic flights and 2 to 8 months in advance for international trips.
“People need to think of booking airfare as working with a bell curve,” Nastro says. “The windows are the framework for when the odds are highest of you finding a great price. Book too early or too late and you are sitting on the edges of the curve” and deals become harder to find.
However, cutting it even closer can also have its perks. Expedia’s data shows that international travelers can save an average of $190 on airfare if they book 31 to 45 days before a trip, as compared to six months ahead. Travelers willing to gamble and book an international flight less than two weeks out might find the biggest discounts: Expedia found that booking just 8–14 days ahead can save international fliers an average of $225.
Check monthly price data for reliable intel
When it comes to the best days to book airline tickets, it might be worth browsing for flights in July, when airfares are 18% cheaper than in December, one of the most expensive months to book, according to Expedia.
Flying during off-peak months can help keep ticket costs low. August, for instance, is one of the most affordable months to fly, with airfares 29% cheaper on average than flying during a peak month like December, Expedia’s report says. International destinations see some of the biggest price cuts during this month, and travelers can save an average of $120 per ticket by flying in August, per Expedia.