It's popular advice we've all read on one site or another: Book early in the morning for the cheapest flights! Or don't book on a Friday night! Or only book at noon on a Tuesday. Or only book during a full moon. (Okay, that one we haven't actually heard, but we're sure someone, somewhere, has decreed it.) So we at Hopper were curious: Does the time of day you buy your flight really matter? Is there really a best time to book a flight? Are certain times of day cheaper? In the name of science, we dove into a whole lot of data (namely, about 20 million separate flight searches over the course of four months) and mapped what we found.
The short answer is yes, the time of day you book kind of matters. The longer answer is, but not really.
Here's what we found.
Tuesday Around Midnight is the Cheapest Time to Book
We found that travelers who search for flights on Tuesday at midnight save about 6% on their flights, making this the cheapest time of the week to book. In general, flights were slightly cheaper at midnight earlier in the week (Monday through Wednesday). However, this is only applicable to about 1.6% of U.S. markets, meaning that it's not likely you'll find the same savings on your specific route. And midnight later in the week actually gets more expensive. So put the "always book at midnight" myth to bed.
Friday Around 3 A.M. is the Most Expensive Time to Book
Hopper did find that shoppers pay about 3% higher fares on Fridays at around 3 A.M. This variation is probably due to the way airlines manage their sales, often starting early in the work week and ending before the weekend. So prices may, in fact, spike a little bit before the weekend kicks off. This travel legend does hold (somewhat) true: Avoid booking late at night later in the week.
Every Route is Different
As the chart above shows, there really is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the cheapest time of day to book, simply because there are so many factors: airline yield management, airfare sales, demand, and so forth. While some airfares seem to consistently increase at the same time each day, other routes' prices remain steady throughout the day and week. So anyone who says Tuesday morning is always cheapest may only be looking at a handful of routes.
So What Does Matter When Booking Flights?
First, the day you book: In a previous study Hopper found that the cheapest day to book your flight is Thursday for both domestic and international flights. However, there's a big caveat: The savings are smaller than you may think: about $10 for typical domestic routes and about $25 for international markets. Much like time of day, every route is different, and contrary to popular belief, there is, once again, no one-size-fits-all approach.
So perhaps more important are the days you fly: Hopper found that the cheapest day to depart, on average, is Wednesday, while the most expensive day is Sunday. The same applies for the day you return: The best day to return from a domestic trip is Tuesday, while the best day to return from an international trip is Wednesday. You're looking at average savings of $85 (domestic) and $120 (international) by flying out and back on the right days!
Is It Worth It?
If all of the conflicting travel advice you find online has given you hives, you may wonder, does it even matter when I book? Is the agony of searching on different days and times of day even worth it? You may say no, giving up forever on finding the cheapest flights.
Luckily, there are some tools that mitigate the pain (and guesswork) of flight booking. One of these is the Hopper mobile app. More than just a flight-search app, Hopper can actually make recommendations about when is the best time to book a flight, based on those millions of flight searches we watch every day. We can also recommend which airports are cheapest and which dates are the best for your flights. That way, we can arm you with the best tips for your specific route, nabbing you the cheapest airfare.
You're welcome, world.
FAQs
The process is largely controlled by computer software and is increasingly being bolstered by AI, so price changes can happen at any second. That's why there's no specific time of day — or even a specific day of the week, for that matter — that's best for booking cheap flights.
Does time of day affect flight price? ›
Believing there's just one optimal day a week to save on flights — and that day is Tuesday — is the stuff of legends. And like all good legends, there is some truth to it … but it's not the whole story. The reality is that flight prices change constantly and at all hours of the day, adjusting to real-time demand.
Is it cheaper to book flights at night? ›
Most of the time, it is recommended to book last minute flights. This can make a huge difference. These are the causes that reduce the price of the ticket at night down especially at midnight. You can follow these techniques and book low-fare tickets.
Is it better to book flights early in the morning? ›
The early bird may be known for catching the worm, but it also catches the best flights. In fact, people who get the first flight in the morning can usually expect a smoother trip, friendlier staff, a cleaner plane and, often, a cheaper ticket.
Are flights cheaper early in the morning? ›
Not only can traveling off-peak help you score significant savings on airfare and hotels, but Expedia data shows that off-peak travel comes with fewer cancellations and delays overall. Booking early morning flights as opposed to afternoon flights will also make it less likely for you to see delays. Earn airline miles.
What time is the best time to book cheap flights? ›
Also, try booking domestic flights one to two months ahead of time. For international flights, your best bet is to aim to book three to five months ahead of the trip. If you are using airline miles, remember that it's never too soon to start checking and booking.
Do airfares go down on Tuesdays? ›
Tuesdays may not be favorable for booking, but if you're hoping to score major savings, booking your departure on a Tuesday or Wednesday is a surefire way to do so. Mid-week flights offer the best deal prices in comparison to flights departing the rest of the week.
What time do flights get more expensive? ›
Our analysis shows that flight prices go through a weekly cycle. Typically, the lowest prices are made available earlier in the week, and the highest prices are offered later in the week.
Do flight prices go up in a day? ›
Over time, fares on a particular flight will get higher as more and more seats gets booked and more fare levels close. But there are short term blips all the time. So, if you look at it hour to hour or day to day, there will be moments when fares temporarily dip before heading back up once new bookings come in.
Why is it cheaper to book flights on a Tuesday? ›
You may not get cheaper airfare by booking on a specific day, but when you plan on flying can affect the price of the ticket. Generally, Mondays and Fridays are more expensive than Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Keyes says this is mainly because business travelers tend to avoid traveling in the middle of the week.
According to people that know the airfare industry well, sales on tickets used to go public on Tuesday. This meant that in order to get the airline tickets on sale, a person had to check on Tuesday before they were all gone. Back in those days, managers were manually updating prices and inputting discounts.
What is the best day to buy Delta tickets? ›
Try different days and times.
Fares are usually lower on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and highest on Fridays and Sundays. Flights later in the evening are also usually lower demand.
What time of night do flight prices drop? ›
Q: What time of night do flight prices drop? Ans: The cheapest time of the week to book a flight is at midnight on Tuesday. Flights booked at this time can save you up to 10% of the total cost. Early morning flights during the week (Monday through Wednesday) are typically cheaper as well.
What time do flight prices drop on Tuesday? ›
Do Flight Prices Go Down on Tuesday? The myth has been going around for years, but the truth is that flight prices don't go down on Tuesdays. To be fair, they did at one point in time, and savvy travelers could score a great deal late on a Tuesday night.
Do airline prices change throughout the day? ›
Over time, fares on a particular flight will get higher as more and more seats gets booked and more fare levels close. But there are short term blips all the time. So, if you look at it hour to hour or day to day, there will be moments when fares temporarily dip before heading back up once new bookings come in.
How to get cheap flight tickets? ›
Tips to book cheap flight tickets
- Be flexible with your Travel Dates. ...
- Rely on New Incognito Mode. ...
- Avoid Believing in Myths. ...
- Track Airlines on Social Media Platforms. ...
- Utilise Flight Search Engines. ...
- Keep An Eye on Flyer Programs. ...
- Consider the Destination. ...
- Look Forward to Beneficial Deals.
