What's the best day to book cheap flights? Hint: it's not Friday

For a lot of us visiting family this time of year, flying is unavoidable ... and, typically, not fun. The holiday season, and Christmas in particular, is one of the busiest times to brave the airport, and flights can also be pretty pricey. One way to save money is to be flexible with your travel dates. But there’s another, money-saving trick: Besides booking tickets for the right day, you should also purchase and book your tickets on the right day. Just like there are better days to fly, there are also better days to buy.

It's always best to book a flight in advance instead of waiting till the week before leaving. The latest Google Flights data shows that a 38-day lead time for domestic flights is the ideal time to buy for any travel date. But even if that window has closed for Christmas travel, you can still potentially save money if you schedule your flight for the right day of the week. Spoiler alert: Weekend days are the most expensive, due to their popularity and convenience.

So before you confirm that non-refundable airfare purchase, check out the data below to find out when you should book that holiday flight, whether it’s domestic or international.

The cheapest day to book a flight

Whether you're booking a flight for next year or desperately need to find a decent price for all your holiday traveling, try doing it on a Tuesday. Google says it's the cheapest day to click “buy” on a plane ticket, though not by much. Tuesdays are only 1.3% cheaper on average than booking your flight on a Sunday, which it says is the most expensive day to book. That’s not a lot — a bit more than $6 on a $500 ticket — but it could pay for that coffee you'll get in the terminal.

However, Ben Harrell, Managing Director of US at Booking.com, tells Yahoo that Monday offers the best deals if you're traveling domestically. As for multi-city flights, he says Thursday is the most affordable day to book.

A 2023 Expedia report says Fridays are the most expensive day to book. For instance, it says if you book a flight on a Sunday as opposed to a Friday, you could save up to 13% on international flights, or 6% domestically.

With so much differing advice, we recommend using a flight tracker to see the historical data for your specific destination before you book — especially if you have time between now and your next trip.

What's the cheapest day to fly?

The day you fly out and the time of day is where it really matters, and there are actually three days that are clear favorites, per Google. Historically, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly, by 13% compared to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. And if you're flying domestically, it's up to 20% less expensive.

But Harrell says Sunday is the most affordable day to fly overall, followed by Monday and Saturday.

Expedia disagrees and says Thursday flights are the cheapest and can save you roughly 16%. It agrees with the Google data that Sundays are the most expensive to fly. You should also try booking a morning or early afternoon flight — i.e., before 3 p.m. — according to the data. This is because you have less of a chance of your flight being delayed or canceled.

We get it; these estimates are all over the place. But to save money, overall it seems that a weekday might be your best bet to fly out, so try to plan your outgoing or incoming flight (or both) for one of those days — excluding Friday, of course.

How far in advance should you book flights to get the best price?

We consulted a few different sources to find out when you should book your flights for the best price. While there wasn't a lot of agreement among them, we did find some common ground. Also note that the answer to this question really depends on the time of year you're flying.

If you're traveling within the U.S., Google says on average the prices have been lowest 38 days before departure. The Expedia report (sort of) agrees: Travelers saved up to 24% when booking at least 28 days out as opposed to those who booked last minute. For international flights, try to book at least 50 days before departure for the best price.

Obviously, you're too late for these tips if you're planning to fly for Christmas. But you can use this information for next year. Google says you should ideally plan ahead when it comes to booking those flights. Prices for holiday travel have historically been at their lowest 58 days before departure, according to Google, or between 36 and 72 days out.

That said, it's never too soon to start planning your spring break travel if you want the best deal. For that, try to book around 44 days before departure for the lowest price, according to Google, and no later than 33 days out — that's when prices start to climb.

And for your July and August trips, you have a bit more wiggle room, including some common last-minute deals. Twenty-one days before departure is usually cheapest, but you can still score bargains 13 days out.

Will layovers really save me money?

Yep! Selecting a layover flight versus nonstop can actually save you quite a bit of money. You'll just want to make sure the amount you're saving is worth your time. Google says on average, nonstop flights have been 25 percent more expensive than flights with layovers. So if the nonstop flight costs $400, you might book a trip with a four-hour layover for only $300. But that's only a deal if $100 is worth four hours of your time.

Since traveling can be stressful, we've gathered seven tips for a stress-free holiday trip from flight attendants and travel pros. Also, a pilot says these 10 carry-on essentials make for a first-class experience.