Truth or Bust: Is there REALLY a best time of the week to book a flight? #AskTPS

TPS reader Nicole emailed me to ask if there’s actually a trick to getting a great deal on a flight.

What’s the best way to get cheap/discounted flights? I’m always hearing rumors like, “book on a Tuesday at 11AM!” etc., but would love your expertise sorting through what’s legit and what’s not.

Nicole brings up a commonly misunderstood myth that airlines publish the cheapest fares at certain times of the week. Unfortunately, there’s no real link between airfare & day of the week. Airline fares are a complicated science that can be very unpredictable.

Ticket prices are based on competition, seat availability and the individual fare you are booking. If you’ve ever noticed a letter on your boarding pass next to your cabin selection, then that’s your fare class. Each airline sells each first, business and economy cabin based on individual fare classes. For example, Delta’s discounted economy fares are M, S, H, Q, K, L, U, T, X, V, E – it’s more like a confusing alphabet. Once the cheapest fare sells out, they will sell the next highest fare class until each fare is sold. Regardless of these facts, there are still strategies to get your ticket at the lowest possible price:

1. Don’t book your flight too soon! On average, the sweet spot for booking a flight is around 5-9 weeks before departure. I recommend bookmarking the new Google Flights tool to save your flights and keep an eye on them. If you’re like me, you’re eager to book, but doing so will probably cost you more than waiting a few more weeks.

1. Don’t book your flight too late! A majority of travelers book their flights within two weeks of departure, which is fine – but you’re going to pay more for this convenience.
2. Flying internationally? The sweet spot here is 3-5 months prior to departure for the perfect booking.
3. Follow sites like The Flight Deal to find amazing deals, but you’ll have to act fast.
4. Subscribe to your airlines email list. This way you’ll be the first to know when new deals are out. Virgin America is notorious for having short-term sales with a particular promo code.

Thanks for the question, Nicole! Enjoy the upcoming flight…hopefully this helps you book at the perfect time.

TPS Pro Tip: The most important thing here is to know when to book – trust your gut! If you see a fare has dropped recently and you are satisfied with the price, it’s time to act fast. I’ve seen a fare drop and by the time I put in my credit card someone else has already gotten the low fare and the price increased – bummer.

If you have a question for TPS, reach out to us on Twitter @ThePerfectSwipe or email us at [email protected]! Let us know in the comments your experience booking cheap fares.