Planning an international trip? Wondering when you should book your flight? CheapAir.com has released a study with the best times to book your airfare across 10 different global regions. Not only did they find the average number of days in advance to get the best deal, but they also pinpointed the best days of the week to travel to each destination, and which months are typically the most affordable.
With international travel demand expected to increase by 30% in 2023, coupled with rising fuel costs, flyers will be looking to ease the hit to their wallet.
Average Price of International Airfare
First, let’s see what the average cost of airfare is for the 10 international regions that CheapAir.com studied.
- Canada: $455
- Mexico: $504
- Caribbean: $548
- Central America: $577
- South America: $798
- Europe: $986
- Middle East: $1,085
- Africa: $1,287
- South Pacific/Oceana: $1,977
- Asia: $2,046
When to Book International Flights
The general rule when it comes to booking your airfare is to do it early. CheapAir.com recommends purchasing your tickets 10 months before your travel date, no matter the destination. But depending on your destination, your booking flexibility can differ in how long you can hold out and still find a good deal.
Here is the latest you could wait to buy your international airfare for each region.
- Asia – up to 4 1/2 months before travel
- Central America – up to 3 months before travel
- Canada – up to 3 months before travel
- Africa – up to 2 1/2 months before travel
- Middle East – up to 2 1/2 months before travel
- South America – up to 2 1/2 months before travel
- Caribbean – up to 2 months before travel
- South Pacific/Oceana – up to 1 1/2 months before travel
- Europe – up to 1 1/2 months before travel
- Mexico – up to 1 1/2 months before travel
Least Expensive Day of the Week for International Flights
Experienced flyers know that choosing the right day of the week to fly can save you money. Generally, for domestic travel, if you can avoid the weekends, your fares will be cheaper. And this holds true for international travel as well, as for most regions, flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday will save you some bucks.
- Canada – Tuesday & Wednesday (Average savings: $47/ticket)
- Mexico – Tuesday & Wednesday (Average savings: $95/ticket)
- Caribbean – Tuesday & Wednesday (Average savings: $79/ticket)
- Central America – Tuesday & Wednesday (Average savings: $67/ticket)
- South America – Tuesday & Wednesday (Average savings: $75/ticket)
- Europe – Tuesday & Wednesday (Average savings: $90/ticket)
- Africa – Monday & Tuesday (Average savings: $90/ticket)
- South Pacific – Tuesday & Thursday (Average savings $141/ticket)
- Asia – Tuesday & Wednesday (Average savings: $286/ticket)
- Middle East – Tuesday & Wednesday (Average savings: $96/ticket)
Least Expensive Time of Year for International Flights
Nearly every destination has its high and low seasons, where demand either increases the costs, or a lack of demand provides an opportunity to save. For most international destinations in the study, the Late Winter, Early Spring months of February and March are your best options. While traveling in July and December will cost extra.
- Canada – February & March. (avoid July & December)
- Mexico – February & September (avoid November/December)
- Caribbean – January & February (avoid July & December)
- Central America – February & May (avoid November/December)
- South America – February, March & May (avoid July & December)
- Europe – February & March (avoid June/July/August)
- Africa – February & March (avoid July & December)
- South Pacific/Oceana – October/November (avoid December/January)
- Asia – February & March (avoid July & December)
- Middle East – February & March (avoid July & December)
Takeaways from the CheapAir.com 2023 International Study
If we had to sum up all of this info into a bite-size nugget, it would be that if you’re planning on traveling internationally, save money by traveling in February/March, booking your flights for a Tuesday or Wednesday, and purchase them 10 months in advance (April/May of the previous year).