A recent study by CheapAir in the US, which monitored 4 191 533 trips in 2013 over a period of 10 and a half months, found that the best time to buy a domestic airline ticket in that country was 54 days before the travel date.
Not surprisingly, it found that the worst time to book a trip was the last minute or even up to 13 days before travelling, debunking a myth that airlines offer price reduction to dump empty seats at the last minute.
According to CheapAir, another misperception was that booking as early as possible secured the best prices. It says domestic fares were found to be quite steady (and high) between 11 and four months before travel. The best time to book, according to the study was between one month and three and a half months before.
CheapAir says: “We constantly tell would-be flyers to search for flights early and often. If you check back frequently, you will likely catch fares that are both on the high side and low side, and you’ll have the right perspective to know which is which.”
