CALABASAS, CA – After analyzing 415 million airline fares, CheapAir.com found that no single day of the week is statistically better for booking cheap airline tickets. Contrary to popular myths that Tuesdays or Sundays are the best days to buy, CheapAir found that no specific day of the week or time of day will consistently save travelers money.

CheapAir decided to investigate this issue after The Wall Street Journal reported that Sunday is the best day to buy airline tickets according to ticket sales data collected by the Airlines Reporting Corporation. The conclusion was based on tickets purchased, but corporate travelers tend to book last minute, pay higher fares and purchase tickets on work days. This likely skewed the data and made Sundays appear to be the cheapest day to buy flights.

Rather than examining tickets purchased, CheapAir examined all fares that were available on domestic flights since the beginning of 2014 – a total of 415 million airfares. The differences between days of the week were statistically insignificant. The cheapest days to buy, Wednesday and Thursday, were cheaper than the most expensive days, Saturday and Sunday, by a grand total of $3.

“The day you choose to fly and how far in advance you purchase can make a huge difference in your airline ticket price, but the day of the week you purchase that ticket really doesn’t matter,” said Jeff Klee, CEO of CheapAir. “If you see a great fare on Monday, don’t wait for Tuesday or Sunday. Rates can change rapidly, so take advantage of cheap airline tickets when you spot them.”

In April, CheapAir found that the cheapest airline tickets were available an average of 54 days before the flight, and the prime booking window was between 29 and 104 days. However, the destination, travel date and other variables could drastically affect the prime booking window.

“The best thing to do is check for fares early and often,” added Klee. “Become familiar with the market on your travel dates so you learn to spot good and bad deals.”

WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:

“The day you choose to fly and how far in advance you purchase can make a huge difference in your airline ticket price, but the day of the week you purchase that ticket really doesn’t matter,”.
In April, CheapAir found that the cheapest airline tickets were available an average of 54 days before the flight, and the prime booking window was between 29 and 104 days.
Contrary to popular myths that Tuesdays or Sundays are the best days to buy, CheapAir found that no specific day of the week or time of day will consistently save travelers money.