If you are planning a trip in the near future, you can save money if you wait until August 23, the ‘cheap flight day’, to book your flight.  For most airlines, this is the starting date when airfare for U.S. domestic flights and those to Europe will typically drop in price.  You could see a savings of 10 to 20% (or more) depending on your flight destination — and these off-peak lows will continue until around Thanksgiving.

The airlines view August 23 as the start of the fall travel season, which translates into fewer vacation travelers since kids are back in school.

Cheaper Days to Fly:

Before you book your flight, check to see if you could save money when flying on what is considered the ‘cheaper flight’ days of the week—Tuesdays and Wednesdays (and possibly Thursdays).  Generally, the more expensive days to fly are typically Fridays and Saturdays.  If your schedule allows you to be more flexible, you could benefit financially.

According to AirFareWatchdog, “Expedia’s 2015 Travel Trends White Paper posts an analysis of the “when to fly” question. Expedia concludes that, for long-haul flights, leaving on Thursday and returning on Monday costs around 20 percent less than leaving on Friday and returning on Saturday. The lowest in-and-out combinations tend to include outbound flights on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday with return flights on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday. For short-haul trips, Expedia’s lowest-fare groupings are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday both ways.”

For more insightful travel ideas, check out my book:

Know Before You Go: Traveling the U.S. and Abroad