Finding the lowest available fare for a suitable flight on an acceptable travel date involves timing, strategy, knowledge, art and a wee bit of luck for when the first four criteria fail to locate the lowest price airline ticket.
Timing is not everything but it matters a lot. The lowest fares of each year, across the world, are found during the shopping and travel period from 15 January to 15 April. May has intermediate flight prices. June, July and August are the most expensive months to shop and to travel. The period from 15 September to 15 December holds prices ranging from relatively low to intermediate on the high side. The Christmas through New Year holiday period (13 Dec - 07 Jan) has relatively high fares unless you fly on Christmas Day or New Years Day. The 3 days before and after all major holidays and large scale popular events will have premium pricing for flights on those days. The late hours and early hours of each travel day hold the lowest fares for that day. Shopping during the early hours might get you a low fare before it becomes sold out for that day or season. Shopping at least 21 days before your planned travel period avoids price hikes for late bookings. Traveling on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or sometimes Saturday is usually cheaper than other days. That low cost (or preferred) flight might be available this day but not that day, this season but not that season. Contracts held by airline consolidators normally bar them from selling their lowest fares less than five full calendar days before departure.
Timing is not everything but it matters a lot. The lowest fares of each year, across the world, are found during the shopping and travel period from 15 January to 15 April. May has intermediate flight prices. June, July and August are the most expensive months to shop and to travel. The period from 15 September to 15 December holds prices ranging from relatively low to intermediate on the high side. The Christmas through New Year holiday period (13 Dec - 07 Jan) has relatively high fares unless you fly on Christmas Day or New Years Day. The 3 days before and after all major holidays and large scale popular events will have premium pricing for flights on those days. The late hours and early hours of each travel day hold the lowest fares for that day. Shopping during the early hours might get you a low fare before it becomes sold out for that day or season. Shopping at least 21 days before your planned travel period avoids price hikes for late bookings. Traveling on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or sometimes Saturday is usually cheaper than other days. That low cost (or preferred) flight might be available this day but not that day, this season but not that season. Contracts held by airline consolidators normally bar them from selling their lowest fares less than five full calendar days before departure.
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