How to Find the Best Airfare Season

Finding the lowest airfare is like taking a gamble. You don't know when the airfare will be the lowest and if you choose to buy, you don't know if the airfare will go lower even a day later. Buying during certain travel times can ensure that you are purchasing the lowest airfare.

• Travel during non-peak travel times. Airfare will always be more expensive during the holiday seasons such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, or Memorial Day. Airfare also tends to spike during the summer as people take to the skies to get to their vacation destinations.


• Try flying in the middle of the week. Sometimes leaving in the middle of the week can help you get a lower airfare. Staying through the weekend might also help lower your airfare. Weekends tend to be high travel periods and therefore the airline is less likely to discount a ticket that starts or ends on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.


• Stay at your destination for at least a week. Three-day airfare or a round-trip ticket spanning over a month can make the travel much more costly. Try staying at your destination for at least a week, but no more than a month.


• Check out last minute travel deals. Even during peak flying seasons, airlines may offer great last minute travel deals in an attempt to fill all of their seats. Although buying early may guarantee you a low price, buying at the last minute may also be cheaper.


• Be flexible with your travel plans. The price of airfare may fluctuate by a few hundred dollars over the course of only a few days. Check airfare prices of dates close to the one you want to travel. Leaving a day earlier could mean big savings.