When it comes to booking a flight, there are many factors that can impact the price you pay. These include the time of year you travel, fuel costs, labor costs, and the cost of the underlying services (such as maintenance) that airlines provide to their passengers.
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Cheapest Day to Book a Flight
In 2023, the average low fare is $94 cheapo flights tickets are less on Wednesday than it is on Sunday—the most expensive day to fly. This is why it’s a good idea to shop around, especially if you can be flexible with your dates and times.
The Best Time to Book a Flight
One of the most overlooked tactics for finding a cheap ticket is booking early in the day. In recent years, flights leaving before 09:00 have been shown to be cheaper on average.
How to Find the Cheapest Fares
The cheapest seats are released first and more expensive ones later, so it’s important to buy your ticket as soon as possible. Some sites, such as Scott’s Cheap Flights, will alert you to deals via email when they become available.
Business Travelers Are Often Cheaper
In fact, the cheapest airfares tend to be booked by business travelers. This is because they typically travel on weekdays, and their schedules are flexible with work hours.
Tuesday is the cheapest day to book domestic airfare, and international flights are usually even cheaper on Wednesday afternoon. This is because most airlines release their itineraries 14 weeks in advance, which means they’ll adjust or remove flights in response to demand.