What Are the Cheapest Days of the Week to Fly?

These Are the Cheapest Days of the Week to Fly

Tuesdays are the cheapest day to book a domestic flight, according to data from Expedia. Flying on a Tuesday will save you around 14% on average compared with flying on a Sunday, the most expensive day.

Fridays have the lowest average fare for an international flight. A Friday international flight will save you about 8% compared with flying on a Sunday.

Why do some days tend to have cheaper airfare than others? One reason may be high demand for flights on certain days among both business and leisure travelers. Leisure travelers might prefer to fly on weekends, from Friday to Sunday, for instance. Business travelers might opt to fly out on Sunday evenings.

Tip: While it's often the case that flying on a weekday might save you money, there are no hard-and-fast rules. Being flexible about travel dates and times can help you find the lowest airfares.

What's the Cheapest Time of Day to Fly?

The time of day you fly can impact your fares, but it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly how. Conventional wisdom is that early morning flights are generally cheaper than midday flights. But that's not always the case.

For instance, a Google Flights search shows a 7 a.m. nonstop Delta flight from JFK to LAX on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, cost $279. Wait until 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m. or 8:25 p.m. that day to depart, and the fare dropped to $204.

Arrival times could give you an idea of why a fare may cost more. That 7 a.m. flight out of New York gets you to Los Angeles by 10 a.m., giving you a full day for business meetings or sightseeing. The later flights eat up most of your day in travel, possibly making them less desirable.

What about the theory that late-night flights save you money? A nonstop Delta flight from LAX to JFK on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, proved it's not always so. In this case, Google Flights showed a flight at 9:15 p.m. cost $559, while the cheapest rates were for flights booked before 9:30 a.m. ($329).

Clearly, actual prices can vary greatly no matter when you fly, so it's best to do your own research and not rely on recommended flight times.

Learn more: How to Travel Cheap and Save on Your Vacation

How to Save Money on Flights

Try these tactics to save money on airfare:

• Be flexible. You'll save the most if you can adjust your flight days, dates or times to take advantage of lower fares. Consider arriving a few days earlier or leaving a few days later than you planned.
• Compare rates. Third-party travel price comparison sites like Google Flights, Airfare Watchdog, Kayak or Skyscanner are a good place to start searching for cheap airfares. Most sites show you price trends and forecasts, let you easily compare fares on different dates or at different times, and note whether a current fare is higher or lower than normal. For example, Google Flights has "price graph" and "date grid" options on the search page that allow you to easily see when fares are lowest around your desired travel dates.
• Check the airline's website. When you find a great fare on a third-party travel website, check the price on the airline's website before you buy. Buying your ticket directly from the carrier might save you money. Even if the price is the same, purchasing direct can make it easier to change your flight if you need to.
• Avoid popular travel times. Airfares are generally higher in mid-summer, when most people go on vacation, and around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. For instance, Google Flights checked in mid-June shows that one-way, nonstop flights from JFK to LAX start at $204 for most of December. A week before Christmas, however, prices begin rising, reaching a high of $592 on December 18. But if you're willing to travel on Christmas, you'll pay just $249.
• Consider connecting flights. Flights with stops cost less on average than nonstop flights. If you find a lower fare with a connecting flight, be sure to weigh any savings against the extra travel time as well as the possibility of losing your luggage and the risk of missing your connecting flight.
• Start shopping early. Shopping for flights well in advance can help you monitor prices and get lower fares. Most travel websites let you set price alerts on your desired routes and get notified when the fare drops, so you won't miss a deal.
• Join airline frequent-flier programs. Signing up as a frequent flier is typically free and can give you access to benefits including discounted fares, seat upgrades or even free flights.
• Get an airline rewards credit card. Look for one with an introductory sign-up bonus that awards you points or miles if you spend a set amount on the card within a certain time period. You could earn enough to pay for a ticket. Airline rewards cardholders often get perks such as seat upgrades, preferred boarding status, free checked bags or access to airport travel lounges. You may also get travel protections such as trip cancellation insurance or baggage loss insurance when you book travel using the card.

Tip: These days, the lowest available airfare is likely to be a bare-bones basic economy fare. You'll pay extra for checking a bag, choosing your seat and more. Before you buy, read the fine print of airfare offers with an eye out for such fees. These extra charges can easily add up to more than you would have spent for a non-economy fare.

Travel Smart, Save Money

Using credit cards when you travel is easier and safer than carrying cash (or even using a debit card). You can easily freeze a lost or stolen credit card and get a replacement sent to you. Unlike with debit cards, federal law caps your responsibility for unauthorized charges at $50 if reported within 60 days. Credit cards offering trip or rental car insurance and other travel protections can provide additional peace of mind. Are you traveling internationally? Save money by bringing a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.

You typically need good or excellent credit to qualify for a travel rewards credit card. You can check your credit report and FICO^® Score^Θ for free through Experian. If your credit score is lower than you'd like, taking steps to improve your credit before you apply for a rewards card could boost your chances of approval. Just like travel, a good credit score can open new doors for you.