Sometimes, when planning a vacation, you may wish you didn’t have to fly out! But that’s only because most airlines are charging a lot for their plane tickets and you can’t figure out what are the cheapest days to fly.
A while back, flights were a lot cheaper, but nowadays airlines are in big financial trouble. All that means higher costs for their clients. That’s why today you must learn how to become a savvy traveler who scores cheap flights.
To get lower costs while flying, I’ve read lots of niche websites and blog articles and followed many comment threads on Facebook travel groups. That’s how I’ve learned what the travel experts have to say. And a lot of it was about saving money by choosing the cheapest days to fly.
Many of us see the best time to fly as flying whenever we feel like it. However, if you’re a budget traveler like me, you can’t always afford to choose when you travel. Instead, you will try to find the best flight deals that fit your travel needs. And, to save money and time, you need to learn which are the cheapest days to fly.
The cheapest days to fly are weekdays
Most people choose to fly during the weekends, to avoid missing additional days of work. Just consider the high number of city break travel packages you get in weekly newsletters. Then think about travelers who plan their own city breaks by booking their flights and accommodation separately.
Airline companies are aware of the high demand for weekend flights, so they can afford to increase their plane ticket prices. If you choose to fly during the week, the cost of your flight can be hundreds of dollars cheaper than the same flight booked to include the weekend.
Another day to avoid? Monday. Flights with departure dates on Monday are expensive because most people traveling for business will be up in the air at the beginning of the week.
If you can avoid the weekends, try to fly out on a Wednesday. Wednesdays are the best and cheapest days to fly. If not, consider flying out on Saturday. While it’s still during the weekend, Saturday flights are cheaper. As mentioned, most travelers choose to pay more to fly out on Friday instead of losing half a day of visiting at their destination.
The cheapest days to fly are in the off-season
If you are planning to travel to a popular destination, try to find out which are the peak tourist months. In that timeframe, you can expect to incur higher costs on not only plane tickets, but also accommodation and activities. During those high-season months, airline companies are aware that they will have no problem filling up their seats. That’s why they have no issues with increasing their plane ticket prices.
Things are different in off-season months. Though airline companies still have to fly between your city and your chosen travel destination, it will be more difficult for them to have full flights. That is why their ticket prices can be lower and they can also offer additional discounts and travel deals as incentives to attract travelers.
That is why the cheapest days to fly are in the off-season. Choose to travel then and you can save a lot of money on airfare alone. And, to make things even better, your hotel’s going to be cheaper, too. And most museums and activities will cost less, too!
The cheapest days to fly aren’t during the holidays
Pro tip: it’s always cheaper to plan a staycation for the holidays! Plane ticket prices reach their peak around the Winter holidays or any other holidays that everyone wants to spend with their close ones. Airline companies know and take advantage of the fact that this is when people travel the most to get to see their parents and/or other family members.
But, if you want to be with your long-distance relatives and can’t convince them to come visit, it would be nice to fly out to them. And you can do this without spending a fortune if you leave at least three days before the holiday. Your flight will still be costly, though a few tens of dollars less than if you travel one or two days before Christmas, for example. And you get a few extra days with your folks, which is nice!
So remember: if you want to be home for the holidays, the cheapest days to fly are three to four days before!
Book your flight at just the right time
I haven’t tested this out, but I’ve seen it mentioned in a lot of travel groups and articles. There are many who say that Wednesday morning and Saturday morning are the two best times to book your flight. It is said that this is when airline companies review the occupancy of upcoming flights.
Others say that buying a ticket right after midnight works well. They say that’s when airline companies reload their database with reserved and booked seats. Reserved seats may become available, and you can book them at a lower price.
So give it a go and try these times to look for discounts!
When is the cheapest time to fly?
You already know now which are the cheapest days to fly. To take things further, you should learn that the cheapest time to fly is in the early morning before 06:00 or in the afternoon. Early morning flights are rarely fully booked because nobody wants to get up early to get to the airport then lose sleep during the flight to arrive tired at their destination.
However, if you learn how to sleep on a plane and beat jet lag, you should choose this option to save money. There are also the afternoon flights, which seem inconvenient to most because they waste some of the visiting time at their destination. On the other hand, you save money. You win some, you lose some!
As you can see, there are many ways to find the best flight deals. To recap, travel experts say to fly out on Wednesday, early morning or afternoon, preferably in the off-season and at least three days before any major holidays. And to get cheap flights, it’s best to book them on Wednesday or Saturday mornings.
In short, it’s obvious that when you choose to travel influences the amount of money you’ll spend. Try to be flexible and implement the travel experts’ advice to choose the cheapest days to fly. You may end up saving hundreds of dollars on your plane tickets alone!
Mirela Letailleur is a Romanian travel blogger living in the South of France. She writes on The Travel Bunny travel blog about affordable travel in Europe, creator of unique free travel guides, local travel expert. Problem solver. Wannabe coffee guru.
You should also read these articles on The Travel Bunny blog
Find cheap flights: The importance of flexibility
How to get cheap plane tickets for Christmas