When To Buy The Cheapest Airline Tickets

For tips on scoring cheaper airline tickets during the holidays, check out the companion piece 6 Holiday Airfare Tips For Last-Minute Shoppers.

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 as the day to buy your airline tickets (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 July 2014. Average Sunday purchases made between 7 and 14 weeks before travel were typically $110 cheaper.

This shift allows airlines to lure vacation shoppers who are more likely to shop for tickets on the weekend, 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.

Summary Statistics for U.S. Domestic Flights by Day of Week

Source: Airline Reporting Corporation

Summary Statistics for International Flights by Day of Week

Source: Airline Reporting Corporation

Average Domestic Ticket Price Changes Between 300 Days In Advance And Departure

Source: Airline Reporting Corporation

Average International Ticket Price Changes Between 300 Days In Advance And Departure

Source: Airline Reporting Corporation