A few weeks ago, Rick Seany of FareCompare published an article about the upcoming Cheap Flight Day. This certainly piqued my interest. While I have heard of National PB&J Day (April 2) and Men Make Dinner Day (the 1st Thursday in November — mark your calendars, ladies), I hadn’t ever heard of an airfare discount day. This warranted another look.
Here’s what I found: if you’re contemplating air travel between late August and mid-November, this is the time to start looking. While August 23 has been dubbed Cheap Flight Day, it’s actually more of a marker for the week or two at the end of summer when airlines traditionally drop their prices.
Tell Me More
With most summer trips in the rearview and families preparing for back-to-school, flight demand decreases near Labor Day weekend. In response, the airlines adjust fares downward. While this cost-shift often falls on August 23 (as it will for United this year), it’s not the Black Friday of airfare… merely a threshold for when prices begin to fall. Think of it as the first day in late summer that you should plan to travel, if you want to save a bunch.
For example, say you’re headed from Washington, DC to Orlando for a last-minute beach hoorah before autumn. On Southwest, prices begin their decrease on August 22 and drop further on the 26th. It’s not August 23, but close enough.
However, wait a few more days until after Labor Day weekend, and you’ll save hundreds of dollars more!
How Else to Save on Flights
Not looking to fly just yet? No worries — there are tons of ways to save on air travel year-round. Here are a few of our favorites:
Use Miles
The easiest way to earn free miles is to snag a travel rewards credit card. Many of these cards, such as the Barclaycard Arrival Plus™ World Elite MasterCard®, earn you 2x miles on all purchases you make.
With this card, you’ll also get 40k bonus miles for spending $3,000 in your first 90 days with the card, which is enough for a $400 credit towards travel. Since you can take your miles in the form of a statement credit, you’re not limited by a booking portal or specific airline.
Spend your money as usual and rack up the cash back rewards. Choose when and how you want to fly, then redeem your earned points and save.
Don’t Pay for Baggage
Unless you’ve flown exclusively on Southwest, you’ve probably paid a baggage fee once or twice. You know that if you don’t travel light, your fees can end up costing as much as your fare!
Some companies, like Southwest, include up to two bags free. This can save you a pretty penny, considering most airlines charge $25-35 per bag!
Alternately, you could pick an airlines credit card like the Citi® Platinum Select / AAdvantage® Mastercard®. This is a great choice for people who fly American Airlines. Not only will you earn 30k bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months, but you’ll also enjoy your first checked bag free. Oh, and it’s not just for you — this free bag offer extends to up to four travel companions, so your whole family saves.
If you end up finding a Cheap Flight Day deal on a different airline that you can’t pass up, you can still save on baggage fees. All you have to do is travel lighter. Most airlines allow one carry-on bag and one personal item (such as a briefcase, purse, or backpack) on board, free of charge. If you can fit everything for your last-minute getaway in a smaller suitcase, you will save a nice chunk of change… and avoid waiting at baggage claim after you arrive.
Book Early
Cheap Flight Day may be a great option if you’re looking for a quick getaway, but this isn’t the best practice to use throughout the year. Previously believed to be a strict “54 days out,” the magical number for booking in advance isn’t so cut and dry. Most experts agree, though: booking last-minute isn’t the deal it once was.
According to CheapAir.com, the prime booking window actually lies somewhere between 21-120 days out from the flight. Quite the range, yes, but it varies according to time of year and even airline.
Your best bet is to use a flexible date search, if your plans allow, and try to fly mid-week. Friday and Saturday flights are traditionally more pricey than Tuesday and Wednesday options. Try to book somewhere between 2-3 months before your flight to save the most.
Sign Up for Emails
Want to be the first to know about sales throughout the year? Sign up for your favorite airlines’ email newsletters. Often, these will be for travel 2-4 months out, so you have time to plan that trip to see your parents and even coordinate time off from work.
In Summary
Airlines may not view August 23 as a strict fare-slashing deadline, but this day historically marks the beginning of discount travel. Cheap Flight Day should still be marked in your calendar, if you have the interest and flexibility in late summer or impromptu travel.
While you can expect to save at least 10-20% on airfare by booking travel on (or near) August 23, you can see above that I found price cuts of up to 66%. Be sure to check out your airline’s “flexible travel date” calendar when searching flights, to ensure that you get the best deal. Sites like Fly.com and FareCompare are also good aggregate resources, if you’re not picky about the airline.
Don’t forget to use your travel rewards credit cards and/or frequent flyer programs, to save even more on fares and baggage. Happy travels!
Have you taken advantage of late August-October flight deals? Have these fare cuts prompted you to plan a trip you might not have otherwise taken?
Updated August 22, 2016 and originally published August 19, 2016.
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