Turns Out That The Advice To Book Flights On A Tuesday Is Outdated (But Here's How To Save)
We've all heard, "Tuesday is the best day to book your flight!" The cheap-Tuesday flight booking myth spread like wildfire, with some budget travelers insisting that certain hours on Tuesday garnered the best deals. According to Scott Keyes, founder of Going (formerly known as Scott's Cheap Flights), this idea dates back to the beginning of online flight booking. Back then, airlines would update their prices manually on a specific day, which many believed to be Tuesday. Additionally, if an airline posted a sale on Tuesday, others would rush to price match, which may have contributed to the rumor.
Now, things have changed with the emergence of new technology. Flight prices are no longer updated manually online. They constantly change automatically based on algorithms and artificial intelligence, taking into consideration things like peak dates, current sales, and even fuel costs. Mid-week is still statistically the cheapest time to fly within the United States, according to a Google study, but it isn't guaranteed that the route you're looking for won't be an outlier.
While it may not work to search for cheap flights on Tuesdays anymore, we're here to provide hacks to score affordable flights to destinations all around the globe — on any day of the week. Some of these hacks include strategy, while others require flexibility. Remember that you will always find better flight deals if you visit a destination outside of the peak tourist season. If you're looking for real ways to score cheap flights, use this handy guide to ensure you get the best deals, regardless of when you travel.
How to search for cheap flights
Great flight deals can happen any day of the week, so don't limit your search to Tuesdays or weekdays. Travelers who are flexible when it comes to destinations and travel dates are going to have the best luck finding great deals. Of course, not everyone will be able to travel whenever the best deal pops up, so if you're set on specific dates, then take advantage of flight comparison tools. Google Flights is an excellent jumping-off point. It will compare prices of airlines for you and allows you to search multiple airports in your vicinity simultaneously. You may save hundreds of dollars by simply driving to a different departure airport. Momondo is another great search engine to find the best price for your flights.
The digital nomads, influencers, and travel fanatics you see jaunting off to a different destination every other month likely have one thing in common — flexibility. If your travel plans are flexible, then check out the Google Flights Explore map. Select "flexible dates" and a trip duration. You can choose between a weekend getaway, a one-week trip, or a two-week trip in the next six months. Select your nearest airport and a few others nearby, and you'll see all kinds of amazing deals pop up on the map. As you zoom out, you'll get a glimpse of flight prices worldwide, and you can hover over various countries to see the best deals from your departure city.
Take advantage of budget airlines, airline deals, and flight miles
You can undoubtedly score some fantastic deals on budget airlines, but it's crucial to consider the extra fees. Budget airlines, also known as ultra-low-cost carriers, often charge extra for everything from carry-on bags to bottles of water in-flight. Make sure that you read the fine print. If you're able to travel light for a weekend getaway and willing to save the wining and dining for your destination, it's pretty easy to score flights on budget airlines for under $100 one way. Compare the total cost after fees to the major airlines that include carry-on bags, and make sure you're still getting the better deal.
Some airlines offer loyalty programs that allow you to accumulate free flight miles each time you book. Others offer special programs that garner deep discounts. For example, Frontier Airlines offers an all-you-can-fly pass that allows you to book unlimited flights for $599 per year. If you're a frequent flier with flexibility, it can save you a lot of money.
Taking advantage of airline credit cards is another great way to save on flights. Sign-up perks often offer enough free miles to book a round-trip flight, and then you'll earn additional miles every time you spend money on the card. Note that these sign-up perks often require that you spend a certain amount of money (usually in the thousands of dollars) within the first few months of having the credit card. A few of the most popular travel credit cards include the Capital One Venture Rewards Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.