Best Time To Buy Plane Tickets

When searching for an airplane ticket, you may notice the cost can change drastically within the period of a day, week, or month. Airlines and major ticket selling companies such as Priceline base their price upon the number of customers who are searching for airfare at any given time. You can take advantage of this by learning when the best time to buy plane tickets is. Don’t count on last- minute deals, as they are becoming more rare, and tickets actually become more expensive the closer you get to the travel date. If you know when you would like to fly, when to buy airline tickets is six weeks to a month before your travel dates. It is also not good to buy before this date, as a study by Airlines Reporting Corp. showed that the cheapest tickets are available in the six week range.

Best Time To Buy Plane Tickets Online

Purchasing a ticket online is simple, and often enables you to find the cheapest fare. When you make your reservation on an airline’s website or a discount ticket seller’s website, you are usually given the option to view fares around the dates you have selected. If you can be flexible, this allows you to change the day of your flight to one that offers a cheaper ticket. The best time to buy plane tickets is during the week, and the best day to book airline tickets is a Tuesday or Wednesday. The weekends are the busiest times to buy a ticket. Airlines know this, and schedule their sales accordingly, so Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are also the most expensive days to buy. By Tuesday, the majority of sales will have been put into place. SW Airlines (Southwest) offers insanely cheap flights on a daily basis, but only throughout the US.

Hawaii

Airfares to Hawaii has often been in the $700 range or higher, but if you know the best time to buy plane tickets you can avoid paying such a high rate. Buying in advance will save you money. According to the travel website Royal Elephant, purchasing your ticket at least 21 days before your trip will ensure that you get the best possible price. They also recommend looking for red eye flights, which leave after 9pm, as these will often be much cheaper. Avoiding the tourist times is another way to find a less expensive ticket. The cheapest times to buy are between January and May, or September to early December.

London

International flights are an exception to the six-week rule. The earlier you purchase airfare, the more likely you will be to get a better deal. Rick Steves, who has several travel guides and video series’ specializing in European travel, recommends booking your flight four to six months in advance. The cheapest fares is not dependant upon the best time to buy plane tickets, but on the best time to fly. Avoiding the peak periods will help you find the less expensive fares, so travel within November through March, and stay clear of the holidays. It’s wise to start checking for tickets seven months ahead, but waiting to purchase until a good deal comes up.

Mexico

Even though Mexico shares a border with the United States, it is best to still treat it as an international destination, and book early. The best time to buy plane tickets to Mexico is about four months before your trip. You can find cheap international airfare on sites such as kayak.com and travelbargainsites.com, though more popular sites such as Priceline, Travelocity, and Expedia may be more likely to have good deals. Major airlines, whose aim is to reach the largest audience with advertising and sales, will seek out the more well-known sites when offering deep discounts on flights.