Best Days and Time to Fly Cheap. Tips on U.S. Domestic & International Flights

Amy Lancelotte

By:  Amy Lancelotte

10 minutes read

Last Updated:  29 August 2025

Reviewed by:  Joanna Teljeur

Did you know that according to Hopper, booking mid-week flights, typically on a Wednesday, can save travellers up to 17%? On domestic US flights, this can save an average of $56 per ticket.

To save this amount (or more), you’ll need to pay attention to a flight’s time of day, day of the week, season, local events and holidays, and other factors that we’ll delve into. This also changes whether you’re flying internationally or domestically.

There’s no time like the present to learn all about the best days and times to fly to save as much money as possible. That way, you’ll have a bigger travel budget to spend at your destination.

Best Time of Day to Fly

To get the cheapest flight possible, you probably won’t get to fly at your preferred time of day. Simply put, the best time of day to fly is when no one else wants to. This means leaving early in the morning or late at night.

Optimal Flight Departure Times:
Between 4 am and 6 am, and from 10 pm to midnight, are typically the cheapest windows to fly.

The bright spot to getting up early or arriving late at your destination is that these flight times, like ones at 6 am or earlier or the red eye, tend to be less crowded, resulting in a more comfortable and less stressful trip.

Flight Departure Times to Avoid:
The busiest times to fly are mid-morning and mid-afternoon, especially from 9 am to 11 am and 2 pm to 4 pm.

You can put as much thought as you want into the time of day to fly, but flights get interrupted all the time, so you might experience a delayed or cancelled flight anyway.

When you do on an international flight, we’re here to help you claim your rights to compensation of up to $650.Check Your Flight

Best Time to Fly Cheat Sheet

Here is a summary to guide you through booking your next flight:

Best Seasons to Fly

As a general rule, summer is the most popular time to fly as people take more time off work and the kids are off school. As you can imagine, this higher demand increases prices. This same increased demand applies to other popular travel times as well.

The general rule is to plan your vacation by avoiding summer travel. You also need to take major holidays, spring break, and large-scale events, like sports tournaments, conventions, and festivals, into account. Unless you’re attending one of the events, it’s best to avoid them.

Flights Over the Holiday Season

Holidays are one of the busiest times to fly. Christmas, New Year’s, Easter, and any other holiday that offers people more time off work and encourages traveling to visit family is going to jack up flight prices. If you don’t need to travel, stay home and save your money.

The busiest day to travel in the US is the Sunday after Thanksgiving. In 2019, the TSA reported its busiest passenger screening day in history on this post-Thanksgiving Sunday. And trust us, the days just before and after Christmas and after New Year’s aren’t much better.

Your best bet is to focus on the shoulder season or off-season when considering the best time to fly international or domestic. Avoiding the peak season of May to September in places like the US is ideal.

Best Day of the Week to Fly Domestic

While it’s important to note that the best day of the week to fly varies based on the route, typically, the best days of the week to fly are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The general rule is that mid-week flights will be cheaper and quieter.

Best days of the week to fly are: Tuesdays and Wednesdays

For domestic US routes, Wednesday is often the best day to fly to your destination, according to Hopper. Alternatively, the best day to fly home is a Tuesday. Selecting these days can save you an average of $85 per ticket. Sunday is the most expensive day to fly, so avoid it if you can.

Best Day to Fly Internationally

The rule for domestic flights applies to the best day to fly internationally with a slight twist. It’s still the cheapest to fly out on a Wednesday, and unlike domestic flights, Wednesday is ideal to return. Booking weekly like this can save you up to $120 on average per person, according to Hopper.

Booking weekly like this can save you up to $120 on average per person

As with many things, there is an exception to the best day to fly internationally, and that’s when you’re booking vacation packages and charters. These companies often offer deals on Saturday to Saturday travel, so you don’t need to focus on Wednesday as much.

Aside from the best days to fly internationally, stick to early morning and late night flights to keep the costs down - the same as flying domestically.

Time Zone at the Destination

Especially when traveling longer distances, time zones can throw a wrench into your plans. While we’ve told you the best time of day to fly to save money is very early or late, deciding between the two is much easier when you consider your current time zone and the one at your destination.

Head online to any of the automatic time zone calculators while you’re looking at flight times to know what you’re getting into. It’s no fun to arrive at your destination excited and ready to start your vacation only to find out it’s 3 am. Everything is closed, it’s hard to get a taxi, and it’s just plain annoying.

As an example, the best time of day to fly from the US East Coast to Europe is generally in the early evening. Flying from JFK to London Heathrow in the early evening, around 6 pm, will have you landing around 6 am local time. You can clear immigration, grab your bags, and still have a full day ahead of you.

Individual Biorhythms

Another factor to consider when deciding on the best time to fly is your internal clock. Jet lag is no joke and can ruin the first few days of your trip when flying internationally.

If you can sleep on a plane, you’re already in a good position. Traveling from New York to London on the redeye is perfect. You’ll get most of a night’s sleep and wake up in a new place. If you’re not so lucky and arrive in London in the morning and haven’t slept, the best thing you can do to combat jet lag is to stay up as late as you can.

Fill your day in London with activities to keep you awake, and if you can wait until at least 9 pm to fall asleep, you’ll do a lot to help reset your internal clock.

The bottom line: when choosing the best time of day to fly, aside from keeping costs low, think about the destination time zone and your individual biorhythms.

Non-stop vs. Connecting Flights

When it comes to getting the best price for your flight, look at both non-stop and connecting flights. Layovers can be annoying, but switching planes once or twice can add up to significant savings.

Booking separate flights can save around $330

While it takes a little more work, consider booking two separate tickets to get to your destination. For example, flying from New York to San Francisco might cost $800 nonstop. But you could book a flight from New York to Dallas for $250, and then a second ticket from Dallas to San Francisco for $214, saving you $335. Just make sure to give yourself plenty of time between flights.

When to Fly with Children

The best time to fly with children depends mostly on their age. It’s recommended to avoid the busiest travel days and times to keep stress levels low, especially if you’re traveling with young kids or infants.

At their core, babies can be unpredictable. You know your baby best, so aim to fly within their comfort zone and stick to their normal routine as much as possible. Ideally, you want your baby to either be asleep on the flight or in a good mood. Pick flights that coincide with their usual bedtime or morning flights if that’s when your baby is well-rested and happy. Crying will happen for most parents, but trying to limit it will suit you and the other passengers nicely.

The same rule applies to older children. Are they cranky in the morning? Go with a later flight. Can they sleep on planes? If so, a later or overnight flight may be best.

Things to Avoid When Booking Your Flight

Here are the top 4 things to avoid when planning your next flight:

1. Booking too late. Last-minute bookings aren’t the deals they once were, so it’s better to plan ahead and book anywhere between 3 weeks to 3 months from your departure date.
2. Major holidays both at home and at your destination. These are the busiest times to fly, generally, so leave them to everyone else.
3. Turbulence if you’re a nervous flyer. Nighttime and morning flights are usually less turbulent due to fewer winds. Avoid seats at the back of the plane as they feel more turbulence.
4. Weekend travel days unless it’s part of a vacation package. Flights on Fridays and Sundays tend to be more expensive and busier.

Tips on Finding the Best (and Cheapest) Flights

Now that you know the best days to fly and the best times to fly, how do you find the best deals? Your best option is to go with a comparison site that scrubs all the flights available to present you with every eventuality.

Google Flights is great for a quick search to get an idea of costs and availability, whereas a site like Skyscanner has more filter options to find the cheapest ticket. You can look at entire months at a time in an easy-to-read calendar and play around with it. Also, make sure you select the city and not individual airports to get the most options, and use their price alert function to get notified when prices change.

Don’t forget to have a look for flight deals during well-known discount days like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Travel Tuesday (the Tuesday after Cyber Monday) as well.

According to Skyscanner themselves, who are in the business of sorting through flight prices, Black Friday can offer better discounts on flights for certain routes versus regular sales. This is especially true for long-distance flights between the US and either Europe or Asia.

Like at the local mall, Black Friday prices can be fleeting, with only a few flights actually offered for the ultra-low advertised price. It doesn’t take long to have a look for flights on these days, so why not check? Be warned, if you find something cheap and suitable, book it right away.

Otherwise, keep an eye out for airline and travel company-specific sales, and you might find a great bargain.

Extra Tip for US Travellers: If you're flying from the US to international destinations, especially Europe or Asia, consider departing from major hubs like Newark (EWR), Boston (BOS), or Los Angeles (LAX). These airports often offer the most competitive fares.

To Sum Up

Now you have a clear strategy to help you book your next flight affordably. The best times to fly are early mornings or late nights, the best days are mid-week, and the best seasons are outside peak demand periods.

And if your plans get disrupted, AirAdvisor is here to helpClaim with AirAdvisor today and see how much you're owed.Check Your Flight

Author:

Amy Lancelotte

Job/Position: Senior Writer & Content Creator

Amy Lancelotte is a Senior Content Writer and editorial contributor at AirAdvisor with more than seven years of experience producing research-driven articles for global audiences. Her work focuses on travel, aviation, and air passenger rights, with an emphasis on factual accuracy, verified data, and clear, reader-first explanations.

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