The day of the week that you fly can make a big difference in the price you pay for an airline ticket. If you are flexible with travel dates, you’ll have an easier time finding a cheap flight since airlines charge a premium to fly on peak schedules. While there is no concrete answer for the “When to buy?” question, there is more of a firm answer to the question of “When to fly” in order to get the cheapest flights.
Fly on These Days of the Week for the Cheapest Flights
It is universally agreed upon that airfares tend to be the lowest for flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Although this is not an exact science, numerous studies confirm this as do my 10 years of searching for airfare deals in both advertised and unadvertised sales. In its 5th annual airfare study, CheapAir found that flights on Tuesdays are nearly $85 cheaper, on average, than the most expensive day of the week to fly, Sunday.
After Tuesday and Wednesday, the next cheapest days of the week to fly varies depending on the route. In general, Saturdays (for domestic travel), Mondays, and Thursdays follow as the next cheapest days to fly. And the most expensive days to fly are Sundays and Fridays. Mid-week flights are usually cheaper than weekend flights.
The outliers to these general rules tend to be on routes where there are budget carriers, such as Allegiant, Frontier, Norwegian, or Level, that have limited flight schedules. In cases where these airlines only fly a given route a few times per week, whichever days the budget carrier flies are usually the cheapest days to fly on any airline.
Related: When is the Best Time to Book Your Flight?
What are the Cheapest Days of the Week to Fly?
As stated before, Tuesday and Wednesday are usually the cheapest days of the week to fly on all routes. Below, I’ll go over other days of the week that generally have cheaper flights, when traveling from the U.S. and Canada, depending on your destination.
Cheapest Days of the Week for Flights to/from Florida and Nevada
Fly to Florida or Nevada on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
Fly from Florida or Nevada on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Cheapest Days of the Week for Flights to/from Hawaii
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Cheapest Days of the Week for Flights to/from Other U.S. and Canadian Cities
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, followed by Mondays and Thursdays.
Cheapest Days of the Week for Flights to Europe
Fly to Europe on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
Return from Europe on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Cheapest Days of the Week for Flights on Other International Routes
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
What Time of Day is the Cheapest to Fly?
Choosing to fly during off-peak hours can often save you a lot of money. Sure, everyone would love to wake up at a reasonable hour to catch that mid-morning flight or an afternoon flight just after the work day. But basic supply and demand will tell you that if everyone wants to fly at the same hour, it will be more expensive. You’ll often find the lowest prices for early morning or late evening departures. On domestic routes, overnight red-eye flights are often cheaper than daytime flights—so if you’re able to sleep in an airplane seat, you can save a lot by flying through the night.
