When planning your itinerary, whether for business travel or leisure, you are undoubtedly searching for the least costly airfare possible. One important consideration is the day of your flight – not just the date, but the day as well. In general, the cheapest days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and in some cases, Saturday.
It should surprise no one that the most expensive days to fly are Fridays and Sundays. Many business fliers wait until the last minute to buy a return flight home on either of these days, especially if they can do it with company money. Vacation fliers usually want to leave Fridays and return as late as possible on Sundays. The airlines take advantage of these busy days and put the prices up.
Saturdays are a bit different since they’re in the middle of the weekend. It’s the one full day that most travelers spend at their destination. While flying on Saturday may be cheaper than flying on Friday or Sunday, it still may not be as cheap as flying in the middle of the week.
The reason why Tuesdays and Wednesdays are generally considered to be the cheapest days to fly is because there are always extra seats that the airlines wish to fill. Because of this, they are willing to reduce the prices.
There are exceptions to the rules, of course, especially during holidays. Whenever everyone gets a break from work and school, any day of the week can be busy for the airlines. Also, keep in mind the time zone changes when returning home on an international flight.
What to Do Regardless of the Cheapest Days to Fly
In addition to knowing on which days to fly, there are a few other ways you can get cheap airfare.
- Check fares as early as possible. The cost of airfare is constantly changing, sometimes more than once a day! Checking at least two weeks in advance will give you time to find a good deal.
- Sign up to receive airfare alerts. Online travel companies now have apps that can be installed on your phone that will allow you to receive a notification as soon as a good deal pops up. You can also sign up for email alerts.
- There’s no rule that says you have to pay for a round trip. Some services will allow you to mix and match two one-way fares, even on two separate airlines. Depending on circumstances, two single one-way tickets may cost less than a roundtrip ticket.
Keeping these tips in mind and knowing the cheapest days to fly should hopefully help you get a good deal on airfare.
Learn more about the cheapest days to fly and look for deals on Travelocity. You can shop and compare airfare, vacation packages, hotels, and more. You can also sign up to receive up-to-date listings of travel discounts and Travelocity promo codes.