This is Google Flights’ ‘No. 1 advice, always’ to score cheap airfare

Finding a cheap flight can at times feel as tough as scoring a decent snack on an airplane.

But travel experts generally agree on one piece of advice to getting a good deal on airfare: Be flexible.

“It’s our No .1 advice, always, for travelers” looking for deals, said James Byers, head of the product team at Google Flights.

Flexibility may mean flying midweek instead of during the weekend, or perhaps traveling outside of peak season for a particular destination, he and other experts said.

“Try not to lock yourself into a really specific date,” Byers said.

Even shifting travel by a day or two in either direction can make a “huge difference,” he said.

Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are generally the cheapest days to fly. Tickets are 13% less expensive than those for weekend flights, according to new Google Flights data.

Google examined average round-trip airfares from Jan. 1, 2021, through Aug. 1, 2025. It analyzed four-day to 16-day trips departing from the top 4,000 markets in the U.S.

Midweek departures are a “simple way” to save $42 a ticket, or about 14%, on average, for domestic airfare, according to a 2025 travel hacks report by Hopper.

Sunday is often the most expensive day to fly, Hayley Berg, Hopper’s lead economist, wrote in the report. It’s typically a busy day in airports as people fly home from weekends away, she wrote.

“Travelers thinking about a weekend getaway can save significantly by departing mid-week and returning on Saturday or Monday, instead of Sunday,” Berg wrote.

More from Personal Finance:
How to save on your phone bill when traveling abroad
Wealthy Americans are traveling to Europe to dodge tariffs on luxury goods
TSA PreCheck membership still has ‘compelling benefits’

Of course, holidays can throw a wrench into these guidelines.

For example, flying on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is likely the most expensive day to fly around that particular holiday, said Sally French, a travel analyst at NerdWallet.  

As an added bonus, skipping weekend travel can also yield big hotel discounts. Checking in on Friday or Saturday and staying through Sunday generally means paying a premium exceeding 20%, or about $50 more per night, relative to the cheapest days of the week to check in, such as Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, according to Hopper data.

Many travelers fall for the “myth” that the day of the week on which they purchase their flight has a big financial effect, French said.  

“It’s not true,” she said. “It’s not the day that you book [that’s important], it’s the day that you fly.”

Tuesday has historically been the cheapest day of the week to book, but it’s only 1.3% cheaper than Sunday, the most expensive day, according to the Google Flights analysis.

“If I were giving my friends and family advice on what to look for, it’d be lower on the list as a factor,” Byers said. “I wouldn’t say, ‘Wait until Tuesday.'”

Flexibility on a more macro level can also help reduce your airfare, French said.

“Just going in a less crowded month can be helpful,” she said.

This might mean traveling during a destination’s shoulder season or offseason, experts said.

Airfare generally peaks in mid-summer and drops as early fall approaches, Berg wrote. For example, domestic travelers in 2024 saved 40%, on average, or about $150, by shifting from peak summer months to September or October, she wrote, citing Hopper data.

Of course, it may be difficult for certain travelers to be flexible.

Parents may be tied to summer trips due to school vacation schedules, while workers in certain roles, say, teachers or tax preparers, may be limited in when they can take time off work.

Additionally, tours or cruises generally come with rigid start and end dates, and it may not make financial sense to tack on additional days — and extra hotel and food costs — at the beginning or end of a trip, French said.

There are other ways to save, though, experts said.

Layovers, while potentially burdensome, are often a surefire way to save money. Booking an itinerary with a layover saves travelers about 22%, on average, versus flying nonstop, according to Google Flights.

Just remember to pack all the essential items for your trip in your carry-on baggage in case your suitcase doesn’t make it onto the next airplane, French said.

Booking ahead, or, not waiting until the last minute, often yields savings, too, experts said.

The lowest prices have been 39 days before departure for a domestic flight and 49 days for international, according to Google Flights. The target may vary based on destination, experts said.