If you’re shopping for cheap airline tickets for your next vacation, wait until the weekend to grab the best deal.
Though Tuesday has traditionally been favored (it’s when sales tend to hit) a recent study shows that the new day for the deepest discounts is Sunday. The Sunday advantage applied to both domestic and international ticket purchases, according to the Airline Reporting Corporation, which analyzed air ticket transactions between January 2013 and September 2014. Average Sunday purchases made between 7 and 14 weeks before travel were typically $110 cheaper.
This shift allows airlines to lure vacation shoppers with weekend deals, but still charge full price for the tickets business travelers might purchase on weekdays,writes the Wall Street Journal. And though Sunday has taken the mantle from Tuesday as the day for cheapest fares, airline sales and price drops still happen on Tuesday. In fact, outside of Saturday and Sunday, Tuesday still offers the best deals.
Another factor to consider is how far in advance you purchase your tickets. If you’re traveling domestically, the study found that purchases made eight weeks beforehand yielded the lowest prices. For international flights, the best deals were nabbed 24 weeks in advance.
Summary Statistics for U.S. Domestic Flights by Day of Week
| Day of Week | Ticket Sales | Average Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 6,070,569 | $432 |
| Monday | 16,575,118 | $503 |
| Tuesday | 18,076,050 | $497 |
| Wednesday | 17,707,458 | $498 |
| Thursday | 16,106,231 | $501 |
| Friday | 15,694,231 | $502 |
| Saturday | 5,595,956 | $439 |
Source: Airline Reporting Corporation
Summary Statistics for International Flights by Day of Week
| Day of Week | Tickets Sold | Average Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 2,069,460 | $958 |
| Monday | 5,469,716 | $1387 |
| Tuesday | 5,991,440 | $1396 |
| Wednesday | 6,031,016 | $1409 |
| Thursday | 5,749,532 | $1437 |
| Friday | 6,007,628 | $1515 |
| Saturday | 2,633,636 | $1000 |
Source: Airline Reporting Corporation
Average Domestic Ticket Price Changes Between 300 Days In Advance And Departure
Source: Airline Reporting CorporationAverage International Ticket Price Changes Between 300 Days In Advance And Departure
Source: Airline Reporting Courtesy: Collection of Leading Us magazine.
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