For the average person airline prices can seem like an inscrutable black box, and it’s difficult to know when and where to travel to get the best deal.
But if you’re flexible in your travel dates, there are some excellent deals out there to be had. Head on over to Reader’s Digest, where thanks to data from the travel search engine KAYAK, they’ve put together a calendar of the best days each month to book your flight and nab the lowest fares.
They’ve also conveniently added ideal advance booking times for various destinations:
- North America, the Caribbean, and South America: 1 month in advance
- Central America: 3 months in advance
- South Pacific: 4 months in advance
- Africa: 5 months in advance
- Asia, Middle East, and Europe: 6 months in advance
While lucky travelers might catch fluke flight deals, not all of us can go on vacation a the drop of a hat. And the ideal dates vary by month, and depending on whether you’re flying domestic or international.
But as you plan your dream trip this year, check out the table below and you just may save yourself some serious money on your plane tickets—which you can spend on Pina Coladas instead.
Domestic
Cheapest Day | Median Airfare – Calculated by KAYAK |
January 27 | $194 |
February 3 | $215 |
March 6 | $234 |
April 28 | $217 |
May 5 | $220 |
June 2 | $247 |
July 4 & 11 | $217 |
August 24 | $240 |
September 8 & 15 | $220 |
October 27 | $212 |
November 30 | $208 |
December 1 | $201 |
International
Cheapest Day | Median Airfare – Calculated by KAYAK |
January 19 | $562 |
February 22 | $582 |
March 5 | $600 |
April 26 | $566 |
May 3 | $592 |
June 2 | $754 |
July 28 | $777 |
August 23 | $681 |
September 27 | $617 |
October 25 & 26 | $583 |
November 23 | $575 |
December 2 | $626 |