Saving money on air tickets is much easier when your dates are flexible. Blame it on dynamic pricing: fares keep rising and falling due to factors such as supply and demand, seasonality and competition. But if you know the cheapest time of year to fly, you can plan your trip accordingly.
Christian Petzold, travel and tourism expert at BCN Travel, said the best time to book flights at lower prices is during the off-season, when tourism slows down. The only obstacle? “Low seasons vary by location as they are directly related to local climate, holidays and travel patterns,” he explains. “For example, ski resorts have the lowest prices in late spring and fall when there’s no snow, while oceanfront resorts may be cheaper during hurricanes or rainy seasons.”
That said, there are some general guidelines worth following. Here’s information about the cheapest times of year to fly.
Overall, which month has the cheapest flights?
It’s a misconception that summer is the most expensive time to travel, after all, that’s when schools are out and many families are on vacation. But according to the 2025 Expedia Air Hacks Report, August is actually the cheapest month for domestic and international flights, and you can save up to 12% by booking flights during this month.
Kayak’s 2025 summer travel report shows that the average price of domestic air tickets in August is about $376 and the average price of international air tickets is about $868, making it the cheapest month for warm-weather travelers.
If you’re on a tight budget, you may want to avoid planning a trip in March. Expedia reports that this is the most expensive month for travel — with many U.S. schools on spring break and dry, wet weather attracting travelers to popular destinations such as Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
Experts agree that it goes without saying that airfares will be higher around major holidays celebrated internationally, such as Christmas. “During these times, demand is going to be high and airlines can respond with higher prices,” explained Kyle Maltz, chief operating officer of Dollar Flight Club.
Maltz recommends booking flights midweek if possible. This is because demand is lower, so prices tend to be lower. In fact, according to a 2025 Google report, Monday-Wednesday flights are about 13% cheaper than weekend flights.
When is the cheapest time of year to fly domestically?
Joe Cronin, a travel expert and president of Citizen Insurance International, said it’s cheaper to fly domestically from January through early March, and then from late August through the week before Thanksgiving.
For more detailed information, flights in the United States are cheapest between August 11 and August 11th. 31, according to Kayak. Kayak found that another affordable time for domestic travel is May 19 to June 8, slightly before most U.S. schools let out.
Considering upgrading your tickets? According to Expedia, flight premiums are cheapest in July and most expensive in February.
When is the cheapest time of year to fly internationally?
You can also save money on international flights by booking them during shoulder seasons (such as September to October) or after the holidays (January to February), Cronin says. Petzold has observed a similar trend: “I typically see a lot of discounts from mid-January to early March and October to early December,” he said.
As for summer travel, international flights are cheapest from August 4 to August 8, according to Kayak’s report. 31.
Keep in mind that getting the lowest fare will depend on your specific destination. For example, Petzold said, warm weather means summer is high season in Europe, but wet weather means the same period is low season in Southeast Asia.
Cronin added: “The lowest airfares in Europe typically occur during the winter months, excluding the Christmas holidays, while the lowest airfares in Southeast Asia are during the monsoon season from mid-May to October. In the Caribbean, lower airfares often coincide with hurricane season (June to November).”
