January and February

  • Cheapest days to fly: Jan. 7 through Feb. 28-29
  • Single cheapest day to fly: Jan. 21
  • Most expensive time to fly: Feb. 14 to 17, thanks to the double whammy of Valentine’s Day and President’s Day weekend which prompts airlines to hike fares
  • Tip: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the cheapest days to fly in January and February


March and April


  • First post-winter price hike: Feb. 29 through March 1. It's still a good value, but not the cheapest time to fly.
  • Most expensive time to fly:Avoid Fridays and Sundays; they're more expensive.
  • Tip: The cheapest days of the week to fly are Tuesday and Wednesday.


June, July, August and September


  • For early summer trips: Fly by June 3 to avoid pre-summer price hike on June 4.
  • Major summer price hike: Fares will jump on or around June 22.
  • Most expensive time to fly: June 22 to Aug. 24
  • Tip: Watch for an initial pre-fall price drop on or about Aug. 25, followed by more price drops in early to mid-September. Tuesday and Wednesday flights will be especially cheap then.