Home / Blog / What is the best day to buy an airline ticket

What Is The Best Day To Buy An Airline Ticket?


Introduction When it comes to looking for the cheapest airfare, it becomes a tiresome job. Sometimes the price of the ticket can vary even throughout one day or even an hour. Is there an optimal period when the prices at the airline companies are at the most favorable? The following is a general guide on when one can buy a plane ticket at the lowest possible price, though it is important to note that cheap tickets cannot be predicted with certainty: Well, if you want to know how 62 days out is the best and other relevant tips to get the cheapest possible price, please read on.

Why 62 Days Out? Many people have been served with the traditional advice that it is always wise to make bookings two to six weeks before the trip to find affordable prices. However, the audience cannot help but wonder as to where such advice is coming from. This is so partly due to the findings by travel prediction companies such as Hopper and CheapAir.com. After scanning through billions of flight prices for several years, both sites established that flight fares are lowest about 62 days before the travel date.

There are a few reasons behind the 62-day prediction:

  • Airlines understand that many businesspeople and other travelers may only be able to get their flight tickets two months in advance or even less. For this reason, to maintain their fares higher in this range, they can attract more last-minute, flexible travelers willing to pay more.

  • Still, providing 62 days of lead time, airlines refine the flight timetables and modify the availability. When there's more supply, there are normally better prices.

  • Fares go down gradually as you head towards certain dates with empty cabins or seats. It is stated that 62 days out is the optimal time before this drop-off is registered.

    The 62 days mentioned here are not a strict configuration but rather an example of average daily views. However, studies have found that it is relatively accurate, particularly for low-cost domestic flights during peak travel periods. Information on international and off-peak flights may differ. Still, it is suggested that one begin searching for prices at least two months ahead to maximize their chances of finding a cheaper fare.

    Other Important Factors Timing can be about particular days of the week and months of the year, which also affects the price of air tickets. This particular type of trade period includes school holidays, summer vacations, and other event weekends. To get fares lower than the published discounted fare, it is wise to travel during off-peak hours and avoid flying during Mondays, Fridays, weekends, etc.

    Destination is key too. Larger hub cities with high numbers of competing airlines are usually the most favorable for the bargain hunter. If visiting a large metropolitan area, it can be beneficial to be versatile about which airport is used. The only way to attend these shows is to fly by a smaller regional airport that can dramatically cut the airfare.

    Booking a one-way flight with different airlines is another good strategy to save more than booking round-trip tickets. Incorporate a combination of LCCs and FSCs on the same specific outbound and return routes. It is therefore important to factor in baggage fees as you weigh your choices.

    How to Track Prices This method of searching for airline promotions for a specific destination independently requires one to visit various airlines™ websites and online travel agencies, which will take a lot of time. Here are two easier ways to monitor airfare sales and price drops: 

  • Some of the services include Google Flights and Hopper, in which you can set up an alert and receive notifications when the prices of the routes you select change.

  • Use price trends to determine the price dynamics and where to find them in historical price graphs. Services like KV and SS exemplify how fares for specific routes have varied over some time. It puts into perspective whether prices in today's world are reasonable or not.

    Be Persistent As most passengers know, the search for the cheapest flight or the magic lowest fare can be a time-consuming and sometimes frustrating task. Here are some final tips for scoring deals:

  • It will be beneficial to check the prices more often throughout the remaining months before your trip, but primarily within the 62 days leading up to your trip.

  • Look for flights from closer airports, be flexible with stopovers, and try searching for flights within 3 days before or after your preferred dates; any of those tend to yield cheaper flights.

  • Last-minute hope is something that you should never say. Some airlines permit the final offer a few days before the flight to get passengers to occupy spare seats.

    The Bottom Line Even though it is not perfect, it is the starting point for getting the best ticket prices when using the 62-day prediction. This should be your optimal window to book your airfare, together with other things to consider such as season, destination, and booking one-way tickets. Continually check fares across booking platforms. And last is being versatile in terms of the dates and routing. To come out on top of the best and cheapest offer for air travel, follow these strategies.

  • Best Flight Deals! Hurry, Call. (833) 902-2087 Now!