When is the best time to book flights?

[MissKris721]

The last time my husband and I were on an airplane was 11 years ago on our honeymoon . We are headed to Disney in December (with our 2 kids). When is the best time to book a flight?

 

[adamak]

I was told 3 to 4 months out. But it really depends on the routes. Supply and demand. Set up a Google tracker now and hope you'll see prices coming down. Xmas is particularly expensive.

 

[KSR0330]

What airline are you flying with? I have only flown Southwest, and I wait on my computer for the minute that those rates are released! I have had experiences where that rate is the lowest it goes and times when the rate has gone down. The great part about SW is that if you book and the rate does go down, you can get credited for the difference.

 

[FCDub]

There is no "best time" – check often, and book when you feel comfortable with the price.

THEN, if you're booking with an airline that doesn't give you a credit for price drops, do not look again.

 

[Albort]

use the app Hopper. This app knows when the price is the lowest and will tell u when to buy your tickets.

 

[skyywalker]

The last time my husband and I were on an airplane was 11 years ago on our honeymoon . We are headed to Disney in December (with our 2 kids). When is the best time to book a flight?

We went to Disney this past December and booked our flights the very minute they went on sale in May (6am if i remember correctly). I had an issue with a gift card I was using so I had to log out then log back in and by that time the flights already increased in price by a total of $100.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

I have found with SW the best deal is as soon as they go on sale.

 

[Lmans77]

SW - as soon as they are released. But SW is expensive for my route so I don't usually use them. I use Spirit and I've found their prices best around 6 weeks-8 weeks out.

 

[HerbivoreMom]

There's an app called Hopper that helps determine when to buy your flight tickets and can help save lots of money.

Generally, what I've read and experienced is that you get the best deals either 9 or more months out or at the last minute. It can also often be cheaper to fly certain days of the week than others. And if you're ok with layovers and red eyes then that's a good way to save money - but that can be exhausting. And things area always changing.

 

[bearzabout]

I have read that booking on a Thursday about two months out is recommended. I don’t chance it. I sign up for free fare watch services and websites notify me when prices change and let me know if the fare is a good deal and when it is best to book. It takes the guess work out of the process.

Since checking bags is so expensive, it might be worth it to get a credit card for an airline that allows you to check bags for free. For $195/year, we get the Delta platinum card which allows us one free companion ticket and a free checked bag for each person on the reservation booked using the credit card. You would save $200 in bag frees alone with a deal like this.