What is the cheapest day of the week to fly?

Tuesday is the cheapest day to depart on a US domestic flight, about 14% below Sunday in Expedia's 2026 report. Google's data shows a Monday departure with a Tuesday or Wednesday return saving about 14% compared with weekend trips. Sunday is the priciest day to depart in Expedia's report, and Google found Sunday-to-Sunday domestic trips up to 20% dearer.

What is the best day to book a flight?

There isn't one worth waiting for. Google found Wednesday cheapest to book, about 1.4% below Sunday, while Expedia found Saturday cheapest for domestic flights, 2% below Monday. That's a few dollars on most fares, so book when a good fare appears inside your booking window.

Are flights cheaper on Tuesday?

Flying on a Tuesday is usually cheaper for US domestic trips: Expedia's 2026 report puts Tuesday departures 14% below Sunday ones. Buying on a Tuesday saves little: in Google's data the best and worst booking days are only about 1.4% apart, and Wednesday edges out Tuesday.

How far in advance should I book a domestic flight?

About three to eight weeks ahead. Google's data shows domestic fares lowest about 39 days before departure, in a range of 22 to 57 days. Expedia's booking data points to 15 to 30 days. Where they overlap, about three to four weeks out, is a safe target.

Do flight prices go down closer to the date?

Sometimes, but it's a gamble. Google's data shows domestic fares lowest around 39 days out and international around 89 days out, rising after that. Expedia's bookings found international economy cheapest 8 to 15 days out, averaging $585, so the sources disagree on late international deals. For holidays, don't count on a drop.

Are nonstop flights more expensive?

Yes, on average. Google's 2026 analysis found nonstop tickets cost about 20% more than itineraries with a connection. On a short domestic hop the time saved may be worth paying for. On a longer trip where a connection adds only an hour or two, price the one-stop before you book.

What is the cheapest month to fly?

For US domestic flights, January, at 19% below December in Expedia's booking data from December 2024 to November 2025. Across all trips, international included, August was cheapest, about 29% below December, or roughly $120 a ticket. Both figures compare against December, when holiday demand pushes fares up.

Can I cancel a flight within 24 hours for free?

Usually, if you booked with the airline at least seven days before departure. The DOT requires airlines to offer either a full refund for cancellations within 24 hours or a free 24-hour hold. The rule does not cover tickets bought through online travel agencies, so read the agency's terms before you pay.

Cheapest Day to Fly and Book Flights: What 2026 Data Shows

Updated Nov 14, 2026 3:45 AM EST

The cheapest day to fly within the US is Tuesday. Expedia's 2026 report puts Tuesday departures 14% below Sunday ones, and Google finds midweek trips up to 20% cheaper on domestic routes. The day you book matters far less: in both data sets the gap between the best and worst booking day is 2% or smaller.

What is the cheapest day to fly?

Tuesday is the cheapest day to depart on a US domestic flight, and Sunday is the most expensive. In Google's data, leaving on a Monday and returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday costs about 14% less than a weekend trip, and up to 20% less on domestic routes than Sunday to Sunday.

Both data sets agree on the shape: midweek cheap, Sunday dear. Expedia's figures cover Expedia.com bookings from December 2024 to November 2025; Google's cover five years of Google Flights prices.

What each data set says about each day, as published by Google on 5 Oct 2026 and Expedia on 17 Feb 2026
Day	Google Flights data	Expedia booking data
Monday	A cheap day to leave, paired with a Tuesday or Wednesday return	Not singled out
Tuesday	A cheap day to return	Cheapest day to depart on a US domestic flight, 14% below Sunday
Wednesday	A cheap day to return, and the cheapest day to book	Not singled out
Friday	Not singled out	Cheapest departure day across all trips, international included, up to 8% below Sunday
Saturday	Not singled out	Cheapest day to book a domestic flight, 2% below Monday
Sunday	Most expensive day to book; domestic trips out and back on Sundays cost up to 20% more than midweek ones	Most expensive day to fly and to book

These are averages across many routes, not a promise for yours. Fares change often, so confirm the live price in the airline's app or website, or in your Flyingscanner search, before you pay.

Our advice: for a domestic trip, price a Tuesday or Wednesday departure first and a Sunday last. If only Sunday works for you, price Saturday and Monday too before you commit.

Does the day you book a flight matter?

Barely. Google found Wednesday the cheapest day to book, about 1.4% below Sunday. Expedia found Saturday the cheapest day to book a domestic flight, 2% below Monday. The two studies don't even agree on which day wins, which tells you how small the effect is.

On a $300 round trip, 1.4% is about $4. Waiting three days for a better booking day costs more than it saves if the fare climbs meanwhile.

Our advice: book the day you find a fare inside the booking window below, whatever day of the week it is.

Is Tuesday still the cheapest day to fly?

Half true. Tuesday is still the cheapest day to fly on a US domestic route, per Expedia's 2026 report. As a day to buy, it's a close second to Wednesday in Google's data, and the whole booking-day spread is about 1.4%. Keep the Tuesday rule for the day you fly and drop it for the day you shop.

How far in advance should you book flights?

For a US domestic flight, Google's data shows the lowest prices about 39 days before departure, with a low-price range of 22 to 57 days. For international trips the best point is about 89 days out, and the range runs from 50 to 133 days. Expedia's bookings point later for domestic economy, 15 to 30 days out, and booking six months or more ahead cost about $130 more.

When fares have been lowest, by trip type, from Google Flights data published 5 Oct 2026
Trip	Lowest point, days before departure	Low-price range, days before
US domestic	39	22 to 57
International	89	50 to 133
US to Europe	90	49 or more
US to Mexico and the Caribbean	43	24 to 69
Thanksgiving	34	21 to 57
Christmas	56	33 to 67
Spring break (March and April)	50	29 to 64
Summer (July and August)	21	20 to 47

Ranges are averages from past years. Rules and prices change, so check the fare in the airline's app or website on the day you book.

Our advice: for domestic trips, buy where the two sources overlap, 22 to 30 days out. For Europe, start looking about four months ahead and book by about seven weeks out.

When should you book Thanksgiving and Christmas flights in 2026?

Thanksgiving is on Thursday 26 November 2026 and Christmas falls on Friday 25 December. Counting back from Google's holiday windows gives these dates:

Thanksgiving: the low-price range of 21 to 57 days before the holiday ran from about 30 September to 5 November, with the best point around 23 October. Still booking? Compare every day of the holiday week in a fare calendar; don't assume one day is cheapest.
Christmas: the range of 33 to 67 days before runs from about 19 October to 22 November, with the best point around 30 October. If you haven't booked yet, that window closes around 22 November.
Spring break 2027: for a trip in March or April, the range is 29 to 64 days before departure, so a 13 March trip falls in it between about 8 January and 12 February.

A cheap holiday fare can still come with peak-date bag fees. JetBlue, for example, charges $5 more per checked bag paid ahead on its peak dates, 19 to 30 November 2026 and 17 December 2026 to 18 January 2027, for tickets bought since 3 November.

Which month is the cheapest to fly?

January is the cheapest month to fly within the US, 19% below December, according to Expedia's bookings from December 2024 to November 2025. Across all trips, international included, August came out cheapest, 29% below December, or about $120 a ticket. Both comparisons are against December, the month holiday travel pushes up.

Where you fly from matters too. In the same data, fares from Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Las Vegas (LAS) and Orlando (MCO) averaged about 25% below the national average, while Washington Dulles (IAD), San Francisco (SFO) and New York JFK averaged about 25% above it. If you live near more than one airport, price them all.

How do you find the cheapest day to fly on your route?

Averages tell you where to start; your route decides. Check it this way:

Search a whole month, not one date. A fare calendar or flexible-dates view, such as the Google Flights date grid, shows every departure day side by side.
Try Monday out, Tuesday or Wednesday back. That's the pairing Google's data favors, so price it before anything else.
Compare nearby airports. Airports in one region can sit on opposite sides of the national average, as the Expedia figures above show.
Price a one-stop as well as the nonstop. Nonstops cost about 20% more than connecting itineraries on average, per Google. Decide whether the time saved is worth that.
Set a price alert and buy inside the window. Book when the fare lands in the range for your trip type in the table above.
Add up the whole trip. Bag and seat fees can wipe out a cheaper day, so compare totals.

Can you cancel a flight if you find a cheaper day?

Often, within the first 24 hours. The US Department of Transportation requires airlines to let you either cancel for a full refund within 24 hours or hold the fare for 24 hours without paying, for tickets bought at least seven days before departure. Each airline picks which of the two it offers.

Two limits matter. The DOT says the rule does not apply to tickets booked through online travel agencies, and Flyingscanner is one, so check the agency's own cancellation terms before you pay, ours included. After 24 hours, airlines aren't required to let you change a ticket for free, so what happens depends on your fare type.

Once you've paid in full, the airline can't raise the price of your ticket. Our advice: if you book with the airline seven or more days out, keep checking nearby days for the next 24 hours. If a cheaper day turns up, you can still cancel or let the hold lapse.

Common questions

What is the cheapest day of the week to fly?: Tuesday is the cheapest day to depart on a US domestic flight, about 14% below Sunday in Expedia's 2026 report. Google's data shows a Monday departure with a Tuesday or Wednesday return saving about 14% compared with weekend trips. Sunday is the priciest day to depart in Expedia's report, and Google found Sunday-to-Sunday domestic trips up to 20% dearer.
What is the best day to book a flight?: There isn't one worth waiting for. Google found Wednesday cheapest to book, about 1.4% below Sunday, while Expedia found Saturday cheapest for domestic flights, 2% below Monday. That's a few dollars on most fares, so book when a good fare appears inside your booking window.
Are flights cheaper on Tuesday?: Flying on a Tuesday is usually cheaper for US domestic trips: Expedia's 2026 report puts Tuesday departures 14% below Sunday ones. Buying on a Tuesday saves little: in Google's data the best and worst booking days are only about 1.4% apart, and Wednesday edges out Tuesday.
How far in advance should I book a domestic flight?: About three to eight weeks ahead. Google's data shows domestic fares lowest about 39 days before departure, in a range of 22 to 57 days. Expedia's booking data points to 15 to 30 days. Where they overlap, about three to four weeks out, is a safe target.
Do flight prices go down closer to the date?: Sometimes, but it's a gamble. Google's data shows domestic fares lowest around 39 days out and international around 89 days out, rising after that. Expedia's bookings found international economy cheapest 8 to 15 days out, averaging $585, so the sources disagree on late international deals. For holidays, don't count on a drop.
Are nonstop flights more expensive?: Yes, on average. Google's 2026 analysis found nonstop tickets cost about 20% more than itineraries with a connection. On a short domestic hop the time saved may be worth paying for. On a longer trip where a connection adds only an hour or two, price the one-stop before you book.
What is the cheapest month to fly?: For US domestic flights, January, at 19% below December in Expedia's booking data from December 2024 to November 2025. Across all trips, international included, August was cheapest, about 29% below December, or roughly $120 a ticket. Both figures compare against December, when holiday demand pushes fares up.
Can I cancel a flight within 24 hours for free?: Usually, if you booked with the airline at least seven days before departure. The DOT requires airlines to offer either a full refund for cancellations within 24 hours or a free 24-hour hold. The rule does not cover tickets bought through online travel agencies, so read the agency's terms before you pay.

About this page

Written and fact-checked by the Flyingscanner team, last updated 14 November 2026. The facts in this post were checked on 14 November 2026. Airline fees and rules change, so confirm the details for your own trip with the airline before you pay. About Flyingscanner

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