With 34% of American travelers yet to book their summer vacation and many still trying to decide when and where they want to go, our data experts have crunched the numbers to help travelers make their money go further this summer.
Use our Savings Generator tool to find out the average monthly price and best time to book flights to some of the most popular destinations from the US. You’ll also get recommendations for even cheaper alternatives that you — and your wallet — will love.
Other ways to save money with Skyscanner
Embrace loud budgeting this summer and turn up your savings with these smart hacks.
Find the cheapest week to travel
Are you part of the 41% of Americans who haven’t yet decided on a summer vacation destination? We found that the week of August 19 is, on average, the cheapest week to fly. Read our guide on the cheapest week to travel for more insights.
Use Everywhere Search
There’s a reason ‘Everywhere’ is this year’s top search destination for adventurous travelers on Skyscanner. Find endless destinations, at every price, all in one place.
Set up Price Alerts
It’s all about timing, especially when it comes to booking summer flights. Set up Price Alerts for a route you like, and we’ll let you know when airfare goes up or down.
Find the cheapest day to fly
If you’re flexible on when you depart and return, our Whole Month search tool will help you find the cheapest day to fly to and from your chosen destination.
Use our multi-city search tool
Multi-city flights add extra legs to your trip, making it a smart way to see more destinations in one go. This is typically less expensive — and easier — to book than cobbling together a few one-way flights between multiple destinations.
Discover new destinations
We’ve launched a brand new AI search feature called Savvy Search. You tell Savvy Search what kind of vacation is on your mind, or simply ask for inspiration, and you’ll get curated list of travel recommendations.
Find summer flight deals from the US
Best time to book flights FAQs
Ticket prices go up and down all the time, depending on many different factors that are specific to a particular flight or route. Those things can include:
How booked up the flight is. If it isn’t selling well, the airline might be tempted to sell off more seats at lower prices, so they can fill up the plane. They’ll save the high fares for last-minute buyers, as those people probably really need to be on that flight, no matter the price. Those higher fares help the airline cover the costs of the journey.
Real-time bookings and cancellations. These days, airlines use complex computer software and algorithms to adjust their prices, so they can respond to supply and demand in real time. For example, if some bookings get canceled close to the flight date, the software might automatically offer those seats at a very low price to make sure they get filled. That’s why you’ll see prices constantly dipping and climbing as you search for the perfect fare.
Whether the route is typically used by business or leisure travelers. If it’s a route that’s used a lot by business travelers, airlines might start by selling tickets at lower prices to tempt leisure travelers (so they can fill up the plane). They may then raise prices as the flight date nears, because business travelers usually book at the last minute (and on their corporate credit card).
Of course, this depends on a number of different and ever-changing factors, like how well that particular flight or route is selling at any given time. In general, airlines offer cheaper prices when flights are first released, so booking earlier could help you to find a deal.
Don’t forget: We’ve done some of the number crunching for you. Use our Savings Generator tool at the top of this page to discover how many weeks before your preferred departure date you’re likely to find the cheapest flights.
Or if you’re flexible with when you fly, use Skyscanner’s ‘whole month’ search tool to find the cheapest day to travel to your chosen destination.
Tuesday is believed to be a top day to book cheaper flights because airlines often release sales starting Monday night or Tuesday morning. This means that if you happen to look at flights on a Tuesday after a sale starts, you’ll probably see better deals than if you were searching on a Saturday.
Ultimately though, finding a cheap flight is less about the day you book and more about how popular your route is, since flights are priced based on supply and demand.
This varies significantly depending on the destination. But if you already know where you want to go, our Cheapest Month tool will show you the cheapest month of the year to visit. Just select ‘flexible dates’ in the search window after entering your destination. Once you’ve selected the cheapest month, you’ll then be able to see the cheapest day to fly within your chosen month.
Skyscanner can help you find the best flights, hotels, and car rental deals for your next trip.
