We all deserve a getaway after surviving the cold, wintry weather much of the country has been dealing with for the past few months. Even if you live somewhere that doesn’t see cold temperatures, spring break is the perfect time to get out and explore the world. After all, there is only so much time to maximize your annual PTO days or take advantage of school breaks.
Related: These are the 15 best places to visit for spring break this year
If you want to save money on spring break travel this year, you’ve come to the right place. TPG pulled together data from top travel booking sites, including Expedia and Hopper, to determine the best and worst days to fly this spring break.
Let’s dive in.
How far in advance should you book spring break travel?
Hopper recommends booking flights one to two months in advance if you plan to visit a spring break destination in the U.S. That means you should be booking March flights now and April flights between now and mid-March to get the best prices.
If you are traveling internationally, the time to book is now. It’s not too late to get a good deal, but you generally want to purchase flight tickets at least one month before you plan to travel.
Don’t fret if you haven’t booked your flights yet, though. As long as you don’t wait until the last minute, you can still save money, and we have plenty more tips to save you cash.
What are the best days to fly for spring break?
Generally, you can save money by flying midweek versus flying over the weekend.
According to Expedia’s data, departing on a Tuesday instead of during the weekend can save you around 15% on flight prices. It’s probably not a coincidence that Tuesday is also the least busy day at the airport based on Expedia’s historical flight data.
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This is especially true if you are planning a weeklong trip. Hopper’s data shows that traveling from Tuesday to Tuesday or even Wednesday to Wednesday is 29% to 38% cheaper than departing and returning on busier weekend dates.
For example, you can save up to $150 per ticket on average on a 7-day domestic trip, leaving and returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday. That savings can be as high as $169 per ticket for flights to Mexico, according to Hopper’s data.
If your dates are flexible, Expedia shows the week of March 5 is the cheapest time to fly internationally, with the week of April 23 being the cheapest time to fly domestically this spring.
What are the worst days to fly for spring break?
School and work schedules may not give you total freedom to choose exactly when you fly, but you may be able to at least avoid the busiest travel days.
It’s probably no surprise that Friday is typically the busiest and most expensive day to fly. You can usually find significant savings by avoiding booking your flight on a Friday.
When looking at specific weeks, Expedia’s data shows the week of April 2nd is the most expensive week for domestic flights, and the week of March 12 is the most expensive if you plan to fly internationally.
Bottom line
As with everything in life, your mileage may vary. These aren’t hard and fast rules, but these tips on the best and worst days to fly typically ring true. That doesn’t mean you can’t find good prices on days that are busier or more expensive, but they may be harder to come by. And if you want to dive in even deeper on the best time to book your flights, check out our in-depth piece here.
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