Summer isn't exactly the most expensive time to fly and the day of the week you book your flight matters when it comes to saving money, according to Expedia's 2025 Air Hacks Report.
The analysis, created in partnership with the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), busted eight air travel myths, offering travelers insights into the best strategies for saving money on air travel in the year ahead.
Notably, Expedia found that August is the cheapest month to fly while February and March will be the most expensive. Traveling domestically in August versus February can save travelers as much as 12 percent. Meanwhile, flying internationally in August compared to March can save up to 7 percent.
Airfare costs are down overall, however. Domestic economy tickets are down 1 percent from last year and international economy tickets are 4 percent cheaper, the report found. Plus, the price gap between premium and economy tickets is down a sizable 10 percent compared to 2019.
A Delta Air Lines plane at LAX Airport. (Photo Credit: Nate Hovee/Adobe)
In terms of when to click purchase, the data shows Sunday is the cheapest day to book flights for the third year in a row. According to the report, domestic travelers can save 6 percent while international travelers can save 17 percent compared to booking on a Monday or Friday.
As far as the best booking window, travelers should target domestic flights one to three months in advance to save 25 percent compared to a last-minute purchase. The sweet spot for international flights is between 18 and 29 days before departure when passengers can save up to 17 percent versus booking three or more months out.
"Waiting too long to book can be a high-risk, high-reward strategy," Expedia warned. "On one hand, you could snag an awesome deal. On the other, you could end up with longer layovers, sold-out flights or a higher ticket price."
Flying on a Saturday or a Thursday will likely net passengers additional savings. Expedia points out that "domestic travelers should depart on Saturday instead of Sunday to save 17 percent. On the international front, Thursday is the cheapest day to fly—travelers can save 15 percent compared to flying on a Sunday."
Expedia's 2025 Air Hacks Report. (Photo Credit: Expedia)
Although unpredictable, there are some strategies to avoid flight delays and cancellations. According to the report, flights that depart after 9 p.m. have a 57 percent higher chance of being canceled compared to those that leave earlier in the day. More specifically, flights departing between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. face the lowest rate of cancellations.
There's more good news for late summer travelers as August and September experience the lowest rate of cancellations at 1.2 percent. August also sees the shortest average delays.
To avoid the crowds, travelers can target Tuesday, which is the quietest day of the week to travel. February is the quietest month to fly while July is the busiest with 65 percent more flights than February.
"Airfares are down, the end of summer is the cheapest time to fly, and booking too far out can actually cost you money—these realities fly in the face of advice floating around the internet," Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group Brands public relations, said in a statement. "It makes sense to trust the billions of data points from across the world and every airline that go into the Expedia Air Hacks report."
"ARC's data provided valuable insights into debunking travel myths for Expedia's 2025 Air Hacks Report that will go a long way to helping travelers prepare for their 2025 vacations," said Chuck Thackston, managing director of data science and research at ARC. "In 2025, affordable premium and economy fares can help U.S. passengers as they continue to prioritize international travel with their discretionary spending to explore new destinations around the world."
Expedia has also rolled out a new Flight Deals tool on its mobile app that allows users to customize deals. They can also browse current flight deals from their home airport or filter by destination and travel date to create custom alerts. Plus, the tool only shows fares that are at least 20 percent lower than the typical predicted price.
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