When Is the Best Time To Buy Plane Tickets? What Data Actually Reveals

For years, travel advice has been littered with tips claiming Tuesday is the golden day to purchase flights. Sunday works too, or so the legend goes. But here’s the reality: most of this conventional wisdom stems from outdated information and self-fulfilling prophecies rather than solid facts.

Let’s cut through the noise and examine what recent research actually tells us about when is the best time to buy plane tickets—and spoiler alert, it’s probably not what you think.

The Tuesday Myth That Refused to Die

A decade ago, this advice held water. Airlines typically launched their sales promotions on Tuesdays, and competitors quickly mirrored those prices. If you booked on a Tuesday, you could genuinely snag discounted fares.

Fast forward to today, and that strategy is outdated. Airlines no longer operate on such predictable scheduling. They don’t restrict sales to Tuesdays, and they certainly don’t always follow each other’s pricing moves.

So what do current studies say? The answer is mixed—and that’s actually the most useful insight.

What Recent Research Shows About Booking Days

Sunday According to Expedia

Expedia’s recent analysis points to Sunday as the cheapest day of the week to book flights. Their data showed travelers save roughly 5% on domestic routes and 15% on international routes compared to Friday bookings. Over a four-year period, Sunday consistently emerged as the optimal booking day.

Google’s Verdict: It Barely Matters

Google conducted its own flight pricing analysis and found something different. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays averaged 1.9% cheaper fares than Saturday and Sunday bookings.

But here’s Google’s key conclusion—and this is worth paying attention to: “There isn’t much value in purchasing your tickets on a certain day of the week.”

We agree. The real factor isn’t which day you book, but whether a flight deal is available when you’re looking.

When Is the Best Time To Buy Plane Tickets? The Actual Answer

Airlines price flights based on demand and seat availability, not some mysterious day-of-week formula. When a new route launches and seats are empty, expect aggressive pricing. When an airline misjudged demand and a flight is departing soon with vacant seats, prices drop dramatically—regardless of what day of the week it is.

The best time to purchase is simply when the price is right. This requires active monitoring, not calendar counting.

The Advance Booking Sweet Spot Matters More Than Day Selection

What does matter significantly is how far ahead you book. Here’s what the data reveals:

International Flights: Book Early, Really Early

Research from Expedia recommends booking international travel at least six months in advance. Doing so can yield approximately 10% savings compared to booking two months or less before departure.

Google’s international flight study broke this down further:

• Europe-bound flights: Optimal booking window is around 129 days out (though prices can be competitive anywhere from 50 to 179 days ahead)
• Mexico and Caribbean routes: Less advance booking required—59 days out shows the best prices, with reasonable fares anywhere from 37 to 87 days prior

One advantage of booking international flights well in advance: you can monitor for price decreases. Many U.S. airlines now permit free changes on standard economy fares. This means you can lock in a decent price early, then switch your booking if prices drop—securing a travel voucher for the difference. While vouchers aren’t cash, they offset future travel expenses.

Domestic Flights: Don’t Overthink It

Procrastinators, take heart. You don’t need to book domestic flights months ahead.

Expedia’s research identified 28 to 35 days before departure as the optimal window. Google found the lowest prices bottomed out 44 days in advance.

Both studies agree on one thing: avoid last-minute bookings. Reserve domestic flights at minimum 21 days prior to departure.

Real Strategies That Actually Save Money

Forget obsessing over calendar dates. Here’s what genuinely works:

Lock in Changeable Fares and Watch for Price Drops

During the pandemic, major U.S. carriers eliminated change fees on standard economy tickets. This created an opportunity. Book your flight early with a changeable or cancellable fare, then monitor the price. When it drops, modify your reservation to claim the fare difference as a credit. Repeat if prices drop again.

Use Price Tracking Tools

Google Flights offers built-in price tracking. Search your route, then select the tracking option. Google will email you when prices shift. You can track specific flights or entire routes if your dates are flexible.

Capital One cardholders get similar functionality through the Capital One Travel platform, which partners with Hopper to analyze flight pricing patterns. The service even provides price-drop protection of up to $50 if recommended fares decline after booking.

Subscribe to Deal Services

If destination flexibility is your advantage, forget trying to predict pricing patterns. Instead, subscribe to flight deal notification services like Scott’s Cheap Flights, FareDrop, or Thrifty Traveler Premium. These services alert you when unusually cheap flights appear from your home airport.

The Bottom Line on When Is the Best Time To Buy Plane Tickets

Multiple studies confirm: there’s no magic booking day that guarantees savings. Sunday might be slightly cheaper on average. Midweek fares could offer modest discounts. The statistical differences are marginal.

The real strategy involves three components: booking international travel substantially in advance (six months), scheduling domestic bookings 21 to 44 days ahead, and using price tracking tools to capitalize on unexpected drops.

That’s where meaningful savings accumulate—not through guessing which weekday brings the lowest fares, but through active engagement with pricing data and flexibility in your booking approach.