When to Buy Your Next Plane Ticket

Published: 3/26/2025

Buying a plane ticket can be confusing when it is your first time or unsure what to do the next time you are planning for a trip. 

This short and simple guide will give tips on the criteria you should look for when booking your next flight. 

• When booking flights, you want to book on a day that when fewer people are flying. 

  • For domestic flights, this is Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. 

  • For international flights, this is Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. 

• It also depends on what month you are going since some tend to be busier than others. 

  • The busiest month for traveling is July so keep this in mind when you are traveling. 

  • I suggest researching the peak and off season of the place you want to visit. This is useful for when you don’t want to visit during the busy months but also want favorable weather. 

• Another tip I suggest is determine what time in the day you want to travel. 

  • Traveling around 5-8 am can be difficult and most people do not choose this time. Depending on the airport you go to, you might have to wake up at 12-2 am to arrive 3 hours early.

  • Traveling around 9-11am is more favorable because most people wake up around this time. 

  • Traveling around 12-3pm is another great option for when you might fall behind in packing or have some errands to run before you want to fly out. 

  • Traveling around 4-8pm is a good time for when you want to have the day for yourself and don’t mind flying late. 

  • Traveling around 9pm-12am is for those that don’t mind night flights and would rather get to their destination early in the day. 

• Of course, you should decide how much you are willing to spend on the ticket itself. 

  • Domestic flights can vary from price, but I would typically choose economy for these flights. 

  • For international flights, it depends on where you are going. I would also stick with economy especially if it is your first time traveling to these locations. 

  • If you want to be a bit more comfortable but not spend too much more for business, then stick with economy plus instead. 

  • Business and first class if you want to enjoy your long flight with extra amenities. I suggest this if you have the money to splurge and want to enjoy your flight. 

• Look through the airline websites or websites like Expedia that give you a rundown of what you will be spending. 

  • There will be a lot of options but going through these steps will guide you to find at least a few options you are willing to go with. 

• Determine when you want to get to the airport.

  • A good rule of thumb is to arrive at the airport 3 hours early. Keep in mind that you have to allocate time for getting through TSA and finding your gate. For large airports, it is best to arrive 3-6 hours early due to trying to find out where you are headed.

• After you have done all of these steps, that is when you should purchase your plane ticket.