New Study Reveals the Worst Day of the Week to Book a Flight
Lately, it seems like plane tickets (and all of the other costs associated with travel) are being hit just as hard by inflation as everything else. But traveling on a budget doesn't have to mean not traveling at all; it just means learning new tricks to traveling smarter. Flexibility is always going to be key when it comes to finding the best travel deals — whether it's when you travel, where you travel, or where you're willing to stay while you're there. And apparently, having flexibility in which day you book your plane tickets is just as important.
This TikTok video shares which day of the week is the worst day to book your flight if you're trying to save money — and it seems this applies to commercial airlines across the board. This is interesting stuff!
The official Forbes account shared this helpful piece of intel on Monday, May 20. The video reports that Upgraded Points analyzed Google Flights data from 10 of the busiest routes through the United States over the course of four weeks to arrive at their answers.
It seems that Saturday is the worst day to book a flight — the average ticket cost is $241.61 — with Friday as the second worst day, at just over $238. It makes sense; most people get paid on Fridays, and weekend days might be when the majority of people have free time to plan and book travel.
If you're looking for the best deal, the study indicates that you should buy your ticket on a Monday or a Tuesday, when the cost is about $213. You might just end up saving $20 or $30 per ticket, but it really adds up, especially if you're paying for multiple people, like for a family vacation.
Booking Cheaper Flights
To save money while booking flights, you also need to be strategic about how far in advance you purchase your tickets.
In another report from Forbes based on studies conducted by Google and Expedia, this is where domestic and international flights will differ. If you're flying domestically, 28-35 days before your departure is when you're going to get the lowest prices, but no sooner than 21 days out, or you're going to be dealing with last minute price hikes.
For international flights, six months in advance is a good time to book — when it gets down to the wire (around two months or less before you want to travel), costs could rise an average of 10%.
If playing the long game stresses you out (like it does me), book refundable tickets or fly with airlines that will allow you to swap flights for no additional fee and check back again for lower prices. It can't hurt!
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