The concept of booking your flight on a specific day to save a little money has become one of the most common tips among travelers.
But the popular travel myth could be just that, a myth, as flight prices these days depend on demand, not the day of the week.
"While there used to be more price variation depending on the day of the week you booked a flight, there is now less variation because prices are driven algorithmically by computers," explains Steve Oliverez, CEO of InsanelyCheapFlights.com.
This means that there really isn't a magic trick to ensure that entering a booking website at a certain time or day will guarantee you get the lowest offer.
We talked to budget travel experts for their best advice on exactly how to find the cheapest flights, as well as some of our favorite services to help you find much cheaper airfare.
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There is no better day to book flights
Let's get this out of the way: there's no best day or time to book a flight.
“Despite many reports that Tuesday or Wednesday mornings are the best time to book flights, there is no evidence that this is true,” explains Phil Dengler, founder of TheVacationer.com.
Cheap flight prices are available 24/7, so you don't have to limit yourself to a particular day or time.
"I regularly search and book flights and have found great deals every day of the week," adds Dengler.
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Flight prices depend on complex algorithms, and the day of the week is not one of the factors
What matters even more is what day of the week you're actually looking to fly and how far in advance you book your ticket, says Oliverez.
Early to mid-week tends to be cheaper on off-peak days, and as a general rule of thumb, the busier the weekend, the more the flight will cost.
"I've found that it's generally cheaper to fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays," adds Dengler.
"That's not a rule, but I've found that to be the case most of the time."
Ultimately, you should be as flexible as possible when considering travel dates.
Because flight prices fluctuate based on demand, tickets are likely to be more expensive on high-demand days like Fridays and Sundays, according to flight deals website Scott's Cheap Flights.
Also, consider choosing the destination you want to visit before choosing the dates you want to travel, and then consider alternative airports around that main destination.
Allowing yourself the flexibility to search for cheaper fares throughout the year will allow you to choose the cheapest dates to fly.
“Choosing travel dates before looking at flight prices almost always leads to paying more than you have to pay,” says Dengler.
"You should always pick a destination and find the cheapest days to fly to that destination. Those savings add up the further in advance you go, and you may only have to fly a day or two earlier or later than you originally intended."
Like the myth that there is a cheaper day to book flights, there are many other common flight booking myths that will cause you more hassle.
For example, clearing your browser's cookies or looking up flight prices in incognito mode won't change the prices displayed, Dengler says.
Many factors influence flight prices, but your personal search history is not a factor.
While it won't raise prices, it's a waste of time.
Ultimately, if you have a specific destination in mind, the best advice is to check prices often.
Because airline pricing algorithms change all the time, you'll want to check your flights as much as possible, but there's general guidance on how far in advance you should look to book.
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When to book domestic flights
Generally speaking, you'll want to book your domestic flight itineraries one to four months in advance of your travel dates.
Airlines tend to post their schedules, and higher-than-expected fares, about a year in advance.
Book too close to your travel dates and you risk paying much more, as airlines seek to inflate prices for those looking for a trip soon.
Try looking for vacation packages at lower prices.
"I recommend that you try looking at a hotel and flight package, as the total price doesn't go up as much for these and can actually be cheaper at the last minute," says Oliverez.
When to book international flights
International travel tends to take a little more planning, so you may want to book further in advance.
Plus, you'll have more time to monitor the average prices of flights on your route so you know what's reasonable and what's too much.
Generally speaking, you should start looking for international flights 10-11 months before your travel dates.
The key is to check regularly so you can see how prices fluctuate from week to week or month to month.
You should try to book about five or six months in advance.
Google Flights offers a helpful tool in its price chart, which lets you know if a given itinerary is lower or higher than average.
You can also track flight prices and how they've fluctuated over the past few months to help guide your decision to book now or later.
Keep in mind that if you're looking for the cheapest airfare, you may want to consider booking in the opposite season, says Scott Keyes, founder and chief flight expert at Scott's Cheap Flights.
For summer trips, he starts thinking about his flights in the previous winter.
And if you're looking to book holiday trips, start thinking about those plans in the summer.
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The best services to help you find cheap flights
Fortunately, there are a number of services that make it easier for you to find cheap flights.
Take the legwork out of searching and trust the cheap flight experts.
Here are some of our favorite free, membership-based services.
Thrifty Traveler Premium
Starting at $49.99 per year at Thrifty Traveler
With a Thrifty Traveler Premium membership, you will be able to customize the results of your flight offer by entering your origin airport.
From there, the service will send you instant email alerts to destinations around the world.
In fact, the service says it will save you up to 90% on every flight.
There's a 100-day guarantee, so if you're not happy with the flight deals you're receiving, your membership will be refunded.
Unlike an annual membership, you could choose to pay in monthly installments of USD$7.99 for the same benefits.
Premium Membership Scott's Cheap Flights
Starting at $49 per year on Scott's Cheap Flights
With a Scott's Cheap Flights Premium membership, you can receive the best deals on flights from up to 10 airports.
The deals you'll get include those for domestic destinations, weekend getaway options, and special rates.
You can also upgrade to an Elite membership, which will alert you to deals on first, business and economy class.
Plus, as an Elite member, you can get deals from an unlimited number of US airports.
An Elite membership costs USD$199 per year.
There's also a free membership available, but you'll only get cheap international deals from up to five airports.
Airfare Watchdog
Free on Airfare Watchdog
With an Airfare Watchdog subscription, you can enter your departure airport to get selected offers sent directly to your email.
You can also identify a route for which you want specific offers, which will be delivered up to seven times a week.
This service is as simple as it sounds, and you'll be rewarded with cheap airfare.
kayaking
Free Kayaking
By becoming a Kayak member, you can set flight alerts on specific routes.
You will have to specify the routes and set individual alerts for each one instead of sending offers to any destination to your email.
However, it is free and a great tool to use if you already have specific plans in mind.
GoogleFlights
Free on Google Flights
Google Flights is one of our favorite sites to search for flights, and you can also use their free price tracking service.
Like Kayak, you'll need to select a specific route and travel dates, then Google will send you alerts when the price changes on that route.
Unfortunately, you can't get deals from a certain city to any destination as they come up, but you can track flights if you have specific plans in mind.
Dollar Flight Club Premium
From USD$69 per year in Dollar Flight Club
A Premium membership with Dollar Flight Club means you'll get up to four flight deals sent directly to you daily, either by app push notification or email. You can set custom options like your favorite airline, departure airport, and dream destination. There is a free membership option available, which grants you access to one flight deal per day. You can also upgrade to the highest membership level, Premium Plus, which comes at a price of USD$99 per year and grants you access to offers in first and business class.
Ultimately, when it comes to finding cheap airfare, don't fall victim to the common myths of having to book on a certain day or clearing your browser's cookies.
Airfare varies based on demand and various other factors, and fortunately, there are plenty of tools to ensure you get a good deal.
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