How Long in Advance Should I Book a Flight for the Cheapest Fare?

Book early (but not too early) for the cheapest airfare.

Buy Tickets Early

Airfare is generally lowest when you buy tickets approximately 21 days in advance. You can still find cheap airline tickets in the days leading up to departure, but they tend to increase in price when the departure is less than seven days away.

But Not Too Early

Booking airfare months in advance may not be the most frugal option. Airfare prices can fluctuate greatly over weeks or months. The best advice is to compare multiple online sites and airlines often to get an idea of typical fares. Some websites even allow users to set alerts when airfare to their specified destination drops below a certain price.

Bottom Line

You can usually find the cheapest airfare between seven and 21 days prior to departure. Shopping around with the many online airfare sites will help you make an informed purchase.

References

• USA Today: A guide to booking air tickets online