One of the most common questions when booking flights is when to buy for the lowest fare. There is a lot of myth and folklore around this, but the reality is more nuanced. This guide explains the cheapest time to book flights, separating the myths from what actually helps. While there is no magic formula, understanding how fares move helps you book at a better price rather than overpaying.
Is there a magic day to book?
You may have heard that booking on a particular day of the week guarantees the cheapest fare, but this is largely a myth, as airline pricing is complex and varies by route, demand and timing rather than following a simple weekly pattern. Chasing a supposed magic booking day is not a reliable strategy. Understanding that fares are driven by demand and availability, not a secret best day, frees you to focus on the factors that genuinely affect price rather than folklore.
The booking window
Rather than a magic day, there is often a rough window that tends to offer better value: not too close to departure, when fares are usually highest, and not too far in advance, when they may not yet be at their best. The ideal window varies by route and season, but booking some weeks or months ahead, rather than at the last minute, generally helps. Our guide on how far in advance to book a holiday covers timing more broadly.
Short-haul versus long-haul timing
The best booking window differs between short-haul and long-haul flights. Short-haul fares often have a shorter useful booking window, while long-haul flights, being more expensive and booked further ahead, may reward booking earlier. Peak-season flights of either kind sell out and rise in price, so booking ahead matters more for popular dates. Recognising that the timing depends on the type of flight, rather than applying one rule to all, helps you judge when to book for your particular trip.
Avoid booking last minute
For flights, last-minute booking usually means higher fares, not bargains, as airline prices generally rise as seats fill and departure nears, especially on popular routes. Unlike package holidays, where late deals can appear, flights rarely get cheaper at the last minute. Leaving flight booking very late is therefore a gamble that often costs more. Booking in good time, rather than hoping for a last-minute drop that seldom comes for flights, is the safer route to a reasonable fare.
Peak dates push prices up
The dates you fly matter as much as when you book. Flights during school holidays, around Christmas, and on popular weekends command the highest fares because demand peaks. Travelling outside these periods is often a bigger saving than any clever booking timing. Our guide on how to find cheap flights covers being flexible. If you can avoid peak travel dates, you will usually save more that way than by trying to perfect the day you book your flight.
The day you fly
While the day you book matters little, the day you fly can affect the fare significantly. Midweek flights are often cheaper than weekend ones, as fewer people travel midweek, and avoiding the busiest departure days saves money. If your dates are flexible, comparing fares across different days of the week often reveals cheaper options. Choosing a less popular day to travel, rather than the most convenient, is one of the more reliable ways to reduce the cost of your flights.
The time of day
The time of day you fly also influences price. Early morning, late evening and overnight flights are often cheaper than convenient daytime departures, as they are less popular. If you do not mind an early start or a late arrival, choosing one of these flights can save money. Weighing the lower fare against the inconvenience helps you decide. For travellers willing to fly at less sociable times, this is a straightforward way to find a cheaper seat on the same route.
Use price alerts and track fares
Because fares move, tracking them helps you book at a good moment. Price alerts notify you when the fare for your route drops, and watching prices for a while gives you a feel for what is a good deal. Our guide on how to find cheap flights covers these tools. Rather than guessing the perfect time, letting alerts tell you when prices fall means you can book at a genuine low point, which is far more reliable than trying to predict the cheapest moment. Watching a route for a week or two also gives you a feel for whether a fare you are offered is genuinely good or worth holding out on, which is far more useful than acting on a single snapshot of the price with nothing to compare it against.
Be flexible to get the best price
Ultimately, flexibility beats trying to time the market perfectly. Being flexible on your dates, day of the week, time of day and even airports gives you far more chance of a cheap fare than fixating on the supposed best day to book. Our guide on the best time to book a holiday applies the same principle. Combining sensible timing, booking ahead rather than last minute, with genuine flexibility about the details, is the most effective way to pay less for your flights.
Set a target price and book when it is met
A practical approach is to research typical fares for your route so you know roughly what a good price looks like, then set a target and book when the fare reaches it rather than holding out for an unpredictable low. Price alerts help you spot when your target is met. Our guide on how to find cheap flights covers the tools. Having a sensible target price in mind, based on what the route usually costs, stops you both overpaying and missing a good fare while waiting for a better one.
Watch for sales and offers
Airlines run sales at various times of year, and signing up for their newsletters or following them means you hear about offers early. Genuine sale fares can be excellent value if they fit your plans. Be ready to book promptly when a real bargain appears, as the cheapest seats sell quickly. While not every advertised sale is a true saving, keeping an eye out for genuine offers and being ready to act gives you another way to secure a cheaper fare than waiting and paying the standard price.
In short
There is no magic day to book flights, but booking in a sensible window ahead, rather than last minute, generally beats leaving it late, as flight fares usually rise as departure nears. Avoid peak travel dates, consider flying midweek or at less popular times, and use price alerts to book when fares drop. Flexibility matters more than chasing a perfect booking day. Book ahead, stay flexible, and track prices to get the best fare. Rather than chasing a mythical perfect booking day, set a sensible target based on what your route usually costs, watch for genuine sales, and act promptly when the price is right rather than waiting indefinitely for a better one.
Find more travel advice in our Flights & Getting There guides.