economie

The best times to book travel for the holidays, according to Google Flights

October 11, 20240
Historically, Tuesdays are the cheapest day to book flight tickets.

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Best day: Tuesday

Most expensive day: Sunday

While Google Flights said historical flight ticket data shows Tuesday is the cheapest day to book, it acknowledged booking on a particular day doesn’t make that much of a difference.

Historically, tickets booked on Tuesdays have been 1.3% cheaper than tickets booked on Sundays, when tickets are most expensive.

Cheapest days of the week to fly
To source the cheapest domestic travel tickets, search 38 days in advance.

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Cheapest booking time: 38 days before departure

Low price range: 21 to 52 days before departure

If you plan to travel within the US, the best time to book your trip is 38 days before your planned date, Google Flights reported.

For example, if you’re considering taking a trip from New York to Los Angeles, start looking for flights about a month to 1 1/2 months before your planned take-off date.

For international travel
Last year, the AAA predicted that about 4.7 million would travel by air during Thanksgiving, a 6.6% increase from 2022 and the highest number since Thanksgiving 2005.

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Cheapest booking time: 45 days before departure

Low price range: 26 to 59 days before takeoff

According to Hopper, booking tickets before October 14 can save you some money on domestic travel. Similarly, Google Flights recommends early October as the best time to confirm your Thanksgiving trip, especially if you’re heading to a popular destination.

Therefore, the best time range, according to Google Flights, is 45 days before departure, and historical trends show the lowest price range is from 26 to 59 days before you plan to fly out.

For Christmas
Tourists stroll over the lena Bridge and take photos of themselves with the Olympic Rings in Paris.

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Cheapest booking time: 94 days before departure

Low price range: 50 days or more before takeoff

If you’re planning a Parisian getaway, the 94-day window gives you the best shot at cheap tickets.

Historically, the lowest price range — as is the case for most international destinations — has been 50 days or more before the departure date.

For trips to Mexico or the Caribbean
A boat with tourists cruises among the beaches of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.

ULISES RUIZ / AFP/Getty Images

Cheapest booking time: 44 days before departure

Low price range: 26 to 68 days or more before takeoff

If you’d like to travel internationally but are working on a tighter planning schedule, Mexico and the Caribbean are great alternatives, given their flexible price deadlines.

To get the cheapest rate, you’d have to book your tickets 44 days in advance, per Google Flights. However, you could still get cheap tickets between 26 and 68 days before the departure date.

Overall, you’d benefit from booking your international tickets far in advance and for domestic travel, remaining within the 40 to 45-day window on most occasions.

Finally, if you’re OK with spending more time getting to your destination to spend less money, then you could opt for a flight with a layover. Per Google Flights, flights without stops, on average, cost 25% more than flights that do have stops.