Cheap Flights & Airline Tickets

The basics are compare, stay flexible, and book in the right window. Check fares across several airlines instead of one, keep your dates loose by a day or two, look at nearby airports, and book a domestic trip about 15 to 30 days out (31 to 45 for international). Set a price alert so you catch a drop. If you'd rather skip the digging, give a FaresMatch advisor your route and let them compare cheap flight tickets for you. Call 1-800-918-3039 or message us on WhatsApp.

As of this year, it's Friday. The old advice about booking on a Tuesday no longer holds up. Friday is now the cheapest day to book a flight, and it's also the cheapest day to fly out, while Sunday is the priciest. Flying out on a Friday rather than a Sunday can save you up to 8%. That won't make or break your fare on its own, so treat it as a bonus on top of the timing tips below rather than a plan in itself. To see how Fridays are looking on your route right now, check the current flight deals.

It's usually later than people expect. For a domestic economy seat, the best window is 15 to 30 days before you fly. Booking in that range works out to about $130 cheaper than booking six or more months out. Booking far ahead doesn't lock in a low price; it usually costs more. International trips need a little more lead time, so aim for 31 to 45 days out, which saves around $190 on average versus booking half a year early. If your dates are already set, start an international flight search now and have an advisor keep an eye on the price.

Usually in August. Prices ease off once the summer holiday rush fades and before the winter peak begins, so August, September, and January are consistently the cheapest months to fly. December, June, and July are the most expensive. If your plans are flexible, shifting a summer trip into late August or moving a winter getaway to January can bring the fare down noticeably. You can browse cheap flight deals to see how it plays out on your route.

No, the time of day you search doesn't change the fare. Prices move with demand and how many seats are left, not the clock, so searching at midnight isn't cheaper than searching at noon. The idea that browsing in incognito mode or clearing your cookies unlocks a lower price is a myth too. What moves the price is when you fly and when you book, not when you look. To see the genuinely cheaper dates on your route, check the low fare calendar or ask an advisor.

Once you're close to departure, usually not. Fares tend to rise as the travel date approaches, and that's especially true on popular routes and in economy. Last-minute deals do turn up, but they depend on whatever seats are left unsold, which makes waiting a gamble rather than a plan. The gamble is bigger this year, with cash fares for peak summer dates running about 24% higher than they were a year ago. A safer approach is to book within the windows above and let a FaresMatch advisor keep an eye on the fare for you. Talk to an advisor and we'll tell you when it's actually low.

Call an advisor and we'll move fast with you. Last-minute fares change by the hour, and the seats left are whatever the airline hasn't sold, so this is the situation where a quick phone call beats clicking around on your own. An advisor can check several carriers at once, pull in the nearby airports that still have room, and walk you through the trade-offs while seats are still open. Midweek and red-eye departures tend to hold the better last-minute prices. Call 1-800-918-3039, message us on WhatsApp, or browse current last-minute deals.

Give an advisor your route and rough dates and let them do the digging. When it comes to cheap online air ticket booking, the lowest fare is rarely the first one a website shows you. It comes from comparing carriers, checking nearby airports, and mixing fare types by hand, which is exactly what our advisors do. Staying flexible by a day or two helps, and booking inside the timing windows above helps even more. If you're flying up front, ask about business class, since advisors often turn up negotiated rates that sit well below the published price. Call 1-800-918-3039 or message us on WhatsApp.

Use a flexible-date view instead of fixed days. Open the low fare calendar, choose your month, and the cheaper days are highlighted so you can spot where the fare dips at a glance, usually midweek and away from holidays. The savings come from being able to shift a day or two, so scan the whole month before you pick. Set your route, find the lowest day, and book it, or give a FaresMatch advisor your month and let them pull the cheapest date for you. Open the low fare calendar to start.

Yes. What you can change or cancel is set by the airline's fare rules and the type of ticket you booked, not by a separate FaresMatch policy. Under US Department of Transportation rules, a ticket bought at least seven days before departure can be canceled within 24 hours of booking for a full refund to your original payment method. After that window, refundable airline tickets can be canceled for a refund, while basic and non-refundable fares usually offer a travel credit or partial refund instead, minus any airline fees. Whatever your fare allows, a FaresMatch advisor processes the change or cancellation with the airline for you. See our cancellation and refund policy.