Best Time to Book a Flight for the Lowest Fare

Ticket pricing of airlines works on an algorithm. As seats in each fare class get filled up, the price also rises. That is why the last few seats are sold with the highest airfare. Dynamic pricing of tickets means that by the time you book a ticket, the price shown to you may not be available.

As a thumb rule, the closer you are to the departure, the higher will be price. In practice, however, this may be a little tricky. Because price trends behave differently in shoulder season, off-season and peak season. In this blog, we will go into the details of how to judge whether it's the right time to book a low-cost ticket.

Buying ‘Too soon’ or ‘Too late’

Most flyers make the mistake of booking a ticket too soon or too late. You have to be in the Goldilocks zone to find the lowest fare. Airlines don’t show the best flight deals until they know there are enough takers.

So if it is a popular route, they may show the best flight deals earlier. Because there are more takers for affordable flight deals on popular routes like Chicago to New York or Boston to Minneapolis.

Being too late means you will miss grabbing the best flight deals on these popular routes. The game of booking the cheapest deal is all about being at the right time with the right airline.

Purchase of Tickets in Advance

Tickets may be purchased in any season. But airlines usually don’t have discount tickets in peak season. Many airlines declare days when there is a lot of traffic as blackout dates. These days are usually in the peak holiday season. In off-season there are no blackout dates and you will find airlines offering discounts. By purchasing tickets in advance, you may book affordable flight deals in almost all seasons.

Off-season - Last-minute buys are possible in off-season. But booking a ticket 40 days in advance will give you more affordable flight options. On popular routes you may have to start monitoring the airfare 80 days in advance even in off-season.
Shoulder season - These are months which are before peak season and after peak season. You may not find a last-minute ticket in shoulder season also. Because prices start rising earlier in shoulder season. Close monitoring is required to book the cheapest deal in shoulder season.
Peak season - You need to be alert if you want to find an affordable flight deal for peak season. The price graph of airline tickets may rise much earlier. The optimal booking window for travel during peak season depends on the route you have chosen. On domestic routes, you may have to monitor prices at least 3 months before departure. On international routes, the recommended optimal booking window for peak season travel is 4-6 months.

Last-minute Purchase of Ticket

Purchase of tickets in the last-minute is generally not recommended. Tickets in a fare class may also be completely sold out when you book them. You may be able to grab a seat if it is off-season. But it is rare for a passenger to find a last-minute ticket in peak holiday season. But there are a few exceptional situations when you may be able to book a last-minute ticket.

Travel in mid-week - There may be unsold last-minute seats on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Travel on the day of holiday itself - If you are booking a flight on the day of celebration itself, you may find a seat last-minute.
Travel on a flight in the odd hours - Early morning flight or late night flights may be available in the last-minute.
Travel on routes which are not so popular - Last-minute tickets may be booked on routes which don’t interest flyers.

Conclusion

Timing the purchase of tickets may help you book an affordable deal. Being in the Goldilocks zone will help you save on airfare. You may lose the opportunity to book the best flight deals if you are too soon or too late. In peak season, you must ensure you book at least 3 months before departure if you are taking a flight on domestic route. On international routes, you must book at least 4-6 months before departure. Last-minute booking of tickets is not recommended. Farehutz makes booking last-minute deals quicker and easier. All the deals are refreshed almost every day so that you can book any of them.