Is Tuesday really the best day to book a flight?

Is it better to book your flight on a Tuesday or Saturday? Does it affect the price when you book an early morning or a late-night flight? There are so many factors to consider when searching for the perfect flight deal. We'll answer these questions and more so you can save big on your next trip.

What is the cheapest day to book flights?

One of the most heavily debated topics when it comes to travel deals is the cheapest day to book flights. Some argue that Tuesday is the best day to book, while others argue that the day is not as important as the time that you book the flight.

If you’re looking for a cheap day to book flights international travel as well as domestic travel, the truth is that it can really vary. The popular opinion is that the best day to book is on Tuesdays. However, Skyscanner looked at some historic data and found that the cheapest day to book international flights can actually be on Thursdays; while finding deals on domestic flights in Canada is often best on Sundays.

Tuesday is only believed to be a cheaper day to book flights because airlines often release sales starting from Monday night or Tuesday morning. This means that if you happen to look at flights on a Tuesday after a sale starts, you will probably get better flight deals than you would if searching on a Saturday.

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Other factors affecting flight prices

Aside from knowing the best day and time you book your flight, there are lots of other factors that can affect prices. Here's a little breakdown on how to get the best flight prices for your next trip:

Try different airlines and low-cost airlines: Be flexible with the airline that you choose for your trips. While some low-cost airlines can seem less appealing than larger ones, the free refreshments and slightly larger legroom usually aren’t always worth the difference in flight price.
Pack light: Not only will you have to carry less baggage, but travelling light on your next trip can also save you more than a few dollars on your next flight. The cost of baggage on low-cost airlines can often be hefty, so having only a carry-on or personal item can help reduce the overall price of your airline ticket significantly. Check out our article on how to avoid baggage fees for some expert tips that can save you money.
Set up flight deal alerts: Another travel savings tip we’ve discovered is to start monitoring the prices of domestic flights three months before flying. And for international flights, you can even start as early as 5-6 months prior to departure. Don't worry, this doesn’t have to take a lot of time and effort. You can simply set up a Price Alert from the Skyscanner app and customize when you want to be notified when airline prices change for your chosen flight.
Use Skyscanner to find the best day of the month to book a flight: When you’re booking international flights, keep in mind that travelling on a weekday is often much cheaper than flying on weekends. Want to know the absolute best days to book a flight for a specific month? With a quick flight price check using Skyscanner’s ‘ Whole Month‘ search tool (via desktop or the app), you can see how prices change from day to day. It’s the ultimate ‘cheapest day to book a flight’ travel hack.
Don't fly during peak travel days: This seems like a more obvious one, but booking a flight that takes off during a peak travel time of the year doesn't guarantee the best price. That's why a tool like the Whole Month search is so handy - you can literally see how the flight prices change day-by-day throughout the month and find the best deal for you.
Get flexible: Headed ‘Everywhere’? That’s our favourite destination! If you have some wiggle room to be flexible and want to add another layer of adventure to your travels, our Everywhere Search helps you choose your next destination based on the best flight price.

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FAQs about the best day to book flights

The best day to book flights for Canada

As a good rule of thumb, you don’t want to wait any less than 30 days before flying to book your domestic ticket to anywhere in Canada. Airline tickets for domestic flights will also be cheaper if you book them for a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday departure date, but this depends on the airline. If you have to book a flight at the last-minute, there are still plenty of ways to save on flights.

Airlines are notorious for setting a number of different prices for the same flights and seats. The challenge for people buying these tickets is to figure out how to score the cheapest possible flight deal, without compromising their travel dates and/or destinations.

The best day to book flights for international travel

Finding the best time to book an international flight is relatively similar to that of domestic travel. For international travel, our data shows that one of the best day to book a flight is on Sunday. The same logic applies for Tuesday being a good time for buying flight tickets because of airline sales, so bear that in mind.

How early should I start looking for international flights?

To guarantee a better flight price, you should start monitoring prices for your international flight about five and a half months prior to departure, especially if it's a long-haul flight. Specifically, international flights are likely to be the most affordable approximately four months before departure. Make sure you book your flight at least a month and a half (approximately 50 days leading up to your trip is ideal) before departure, as prices tend to increase after that date. This can also be done simply with a Price Alert, one of the simplest money-saving travel hacks out there in 2025.

Best time of day to book airline tickets

On top of what day is cheaper to book flights, the time that you book the flight can also affect prices. Skyscanner found that the best time of day to book flights is earlier in the morning around 6 a.m. (EST-Eastern Standard Time). This means that for domestic flights, the best day and time is Saturday around 6 am and for international flights, the cheapest is Sunday at 6 am. When you start searching for flights, we recommend starting with this time and then setting up a Price Alert to see if the flight price drops.

If you’re looking to snag airline sales and book flights on a Tuesday, try to book them around 3 pm. (EST). As airlines introduce new sales, other airlines will also lower prices in an effort to stay competitive. This lowering of prices usually continues until the afternoon, when the price becomes more stable. If you wait too long past 3 pm., the sale prices might have sold out so make sure you catch them while they’re still available.

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Is Tuesday the best day to book?

While Tuesday has long been rumoured as the golden day for booking cheap flights, the reality is more nuanced. Great deals can pop up any day of the week — especially if you're flexible with your travel dates, departure times, and destination.

Instead of relying on a single day to save, use tools like Skyscanner’s Price Alerts, Everywhere Search, and flexible date filters to find the best fares year-round. After all, the smartest time to book is when you’re ready to travel — and when the right deal finds you.

Skyscanner can help you find the best flights, hotels and car rental deals for your next trip.