How far in advance can you buy a plane ticket for it to be the cheapest?

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Haute Chocolate

I'd say about 4-6 weeks in advance is good. Something like 6 months in advance is good too, but it's not the absolute cheapest option. Why that is is because often, closer to the dates of travel, airlines and travel agents will announce fare reductions and promotions (like for instance, deals where two people flying together get a cheaper rate).

But, if travel is intended for a peak season like the Christmas holiday, Thanksgiving, the Chinese New Year, etc. booking months and months in advance is the smartest option due to demand. You won't necessarily get a reduced fare ticket in that circumstance, but at least you'll get a seat at all. With demand being so high, things sell out really quickly.

Depending on where you are (America for instance), you CAN, indeed, get super cheap last-minute fares. But if you're attached to a certain date of travel (for example, a case like taking off a Monday so you MUST head out on a particular weekend), it makes the most sense not to risk it. The thing about last-minute fares is they're unpredictable. Since it's impossible to ensure that there will, in fact, be a last minute deal from your departure city to the city you're thinking of visiting, it's best to not count on the last-minute option. I find the last minute option to be a better choice for spontaneous folks who are in a position to up and leave if they see an alert for a deal one weekend that can't be passed up.

Hope all of that helps. :o)

silkyworm

Flights typically aren't cheaper in advance or close to the flight. They really jump up and down much like the stock market, and when the price is down, it could be 30 days before, or 13 days before, and only for a couple of hours!
Here's my advice - purchase the ticket in as far advance as possible, then go to yapta.com and enter your flight information. Whenever the price of the flight drops below what you purchased it for, they will send you an email notifying you of the change and tips on how to request your money back. On some airlines, they will charge you $100 as a change fee, or you can request a voucher for the full amount. If you want to check each airline's policy, just go to the FAQ section on the website.

Servette

First of all your question is a bit vague.
Domestic airfares in US, won't be that cheap the last 2/3 weeks before departure.
Major destination will be full long before. Also it depends which city you will depart. Airlines cut prices on certain routes only which they do know their planes will never be sold out. Example: you will not find a cut in fare from let's say Los Angeles to New York JFK but you may find a cut from Portland to Baltimore (still coast-to-coast flight) but les desirable destinations.

You may find most likely lower cost on international flights, maybe a week or two before your departure date, and again on either low season or shoulder season. Very unlikely during summer and Holidays.

Jerry F

I purchased a plane ticket through expedia about 1 yr ago. I purchased the ticket about 6 months in advance then i checked 3 days before i left and it was only $3 cheaper.

mark

Buying far in advance does not always guarantee the cheapest ticket. Sometimes Airlines will discount the price late in the game if seats are not selling as expected.

You can buy tickets 6 months in advance (sometimes more). The main advantage of early buying is getting good seats. You don't want to get stuck in seat 26B (last row middle seat) because you waited too long.

Priceline.com offers good prices, but I don't like to use it for flights (only hotels). The reason is that you cannot pick the time of day you will be flying. Impossible for business travel, and it can cut a full day or more from your vacation on personal travel.

Chelsea

its not exactly how far in advance you buy it, but just how often you look at the prices...for example my family and i flew from milwaukee to phoenix, arizona for our vacation...my dad kept checking the flights on midwest airlines to see if they'd get cheaper...well one night it was $300 then the next it was $200 then it'd go back up to $330...it changes sooo frequently and im not sure why! lol sooo find an airline you might enjoy or have already flew on and liked...and just keep pumping in the dates and checking to see when they get cheapest...once you get one that you like book it right away because it could change veryyy soon!

good luck and have fun planning! =]

ace

when u call jet blue in advance they can give u tickets much cheaper than other airlines

neverdugdisco

Usually 3 weeks. .and try to buy it on a tuesday, wed, thurs

holdthenuts

oftentimes, last-minute purchases are the cheapest, since many times all the seats haven't solt out on a flight. Check Priceline.com

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