Traveling for the holidays? How to use Google Flights to buy cheap airline tickets

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, families around the world are starting to make or implement their holiday plans. If you’re one of the millions of Americans traveling to visit family and friends during the holidays, now is the time to think ahead and save as much money as possible on your flights.

It can be tempting to wait until the last minute in hopes of getting a good deal. But what you should do instead is use the tools at your disposal (like the data available through Google Flights) to determine the best time to buy so you can score the best deal possible.

Google Flights recently released its key insights about Travel data and trends for 2024which provide an analysis of the best times to fly and buy airline tickets. Google has compiled four years of flight data and trends to give American travelers an overarching guide to how to get the cheapest flights and the best times of year to fly.

Read more: Discover these 5 simple tips to save money on airline tickets

On which days is it cheapest to fly?

If you’re planning to book a flight, especially around the busy holiday season, you’re probably trying to find the most budget-friendly option. According to Google Flights, the cheapest flights are available if you fly on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Tuesday is the cheapest dayaccording to the historical flight data. Early to midweek flights can save travelers 13% to 20% on airfare compared to flying on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, with Sunday being the most expensive day to fly.

Can layovers on flights save you money?

It may come as no surprise that flights with stops are cheaper than direct flights, but you may not realize how significant these savings can be. This is evident from the data from Google Flight travelers can save 25% by booking a flight with a stopover instead of a non-stop flight.

On which day of the week is it cheapest to book flights?

There are certainly cheaper days to fly, there aren’t really cheaper days to book. “There isn’t much benefit to buying your tickets on a certain day of the week,” the Google report said.

Google Flights does indicate this Tuesday is usually the cheapest day of the week to bookAccording to the data, bookings on Tuesday are only 1.3% cheaper than the most expensive day, Sunday.

Is it cheaper to book flights far in advance?

To wait or not to wait? According to Google, it’s better to book your trip well in advance, especially if you have to fly on a specific day or time. There are some patterns you can analyze to decide whether it is better to wait for lower prices or book now based on specific scenarios, destinations and travel dates.

For domestic flightsprices are generally the lowest between 21 and 52 days before your trip – with 38 days Before departure is on average the cheapest day to book.

For international flightsprices are generally the lowest between 50 and 101 days before your trip, but it is generally best to book as early as possible. According to Google, “average prices do not drop significantly before departure, but typically start to rise within 50 days of the flight itself” when it comes to international travel from the US.

When is the best time to book a flight in each season?

Here’s what Google says about the best times to book holiday flights and holiday trips to certain popular destinations.

Thanksgiving: The cheapest domestic flights during the Thanksgiving holiday are usually available between 26 and 59 days in advance, with 45 days being the cheapest – meaning it’s best to book Thanksgiving flights in early October.

Christmas: The cheapest domestic flights during the winter holidays are usually available 36 to 72 days in advance, with 58 days out being the cheapest. It is best to book Christmas or holiday trips in the second half of October.

Summer holidays: The cheapest domestic flights in July and August are usually available 13 to 43 days in advance, with 21 days before departure being the average cheapest day to book.

Spring break: The cheapest domestic flights in March and April are available between 33 and 59 days in advance, with 44 days before departure being the cheapest time to book on average.

When is the best time to book a flight to Europe?

International flights to Europe from the US are usually cheaper 50 or more days before departure, with 94 days on average the cheapest day to book. As with all international travel, it is generally best to book as early as possible.

When is the best time to book a flight to Mexico or the Caribbean?

International flights to Mexico and the Caribbean are the only exception to the broader international trend, according to Google. That’s because flights are generally the lowest between 26 and 68 days in advance, with 44 days from the cheapest.

What are the top destinations for leisure travel?

Google also released insights on the most searched destinations for each holiday.

Thanksgiving: The most searched destinations for trips departing between the dates of November 24 through December 1 include Orlando, Florida; Cancun, Mexico; New York; Tokyo; London and more.

Christmas and New Year’s Eve: The most searched destinations for trips departing between the dates of December 22 and January 5 include Tokyo; Orlando, FL; Cancun, Mexico; Miami; New York and more.

For more, check out CNET’s picks for the best travel credit cards in 2024. You can also explore the 12 travel essentials you should always pack and the worst airlines for flight delays and cancellations.