Travelers at the El Paso, Texas, airport called it a “shock” that the Federal Aviation Administration closed the city’s airspace on Wednesday before lifting travel restrictions. (KFOX)
The days of booking your flights six months in advance to save money are officially over.
According to Expedia’s Air Hacks Report 2026, the early bird is now left with the bill, while a new wave of Friday flyers reap the benefits.
While domestic airfares are up 3% this year, a huge shift in travel data shows that Friday has dethroned the weekend as the cheapest day to both book and fly – saving savvy travelers hundreds of dollars on everything from quick trips to Las Vegas to international jaunts to Tokyo.
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The report shows that booking a flight on Friday saves 3% compared to booking during the weekend rush. Meanwhile, flying on Friday instead of Sunday can save travelers up to 8%.
The departure gate of Terminal 1 at JFK International Airport is seen in New York on August 15, 2025. (Getty Images)
August is the most affordable month to fly, saving airline travelers an average of $120 per ticket – 29% cheaper than flying at the same time in December. Flights to Morelia, Mexico, Tokyo, Japan and Honduras have seen a price drop of more than 30% year on year.
“This is the second year in a row where August is the most affordable month to fly,” according to Expedia. “It seems here to stay, so that gives American vacationers a great opportunity to take an affordable, large annual vacation during the peak season.”
Domestic first class fares are down 27% year-on-year as the report also identifies a boom in ‘micro-cations’ with 25% of Generation Z and millennials skip hotels altogether and opt for 24-hour extreme day trips.
“Business travelers are heading home earlier in the week these days, so new opportunities are emerging for leisure travelers to save by choosing smarter travel days, like Friday for the best prices or Tuesday for fewer crowds,” said Melanie Fish, PR head of Expedia Group Brands. said in a press release.
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“With a year of data coming in from Expedia’s Flight Deals – which shows routes and dates priced at least 20% lower than the norm – July and October are emerging as two of the best months to travel to secure these high-quality fares,” she continued.
Additionally, the online travel agency has figured out how to time the flying market and when to book rather than when to fly. The so-called “Goldilocks” booking window opens 15 to 30 days for domestic flights and saves $130 compared to booking six months earlier.
If you want to avoid the crowds altogether, according to Expedia data, Tuesday is the least busy day of the week for flying – with the slowest travel dates in 2026 forecast for February 25, March 4 and November 18. On the other hand, the busiest dates to fly this year are expected to be May 22, July 3 and August 29.
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“September is still the second cheapest month, so ‘big holidays’ could extend into September for budget-conscious travelers. With December being the most expensive month to fly, that could also lead travelers to change their travel types that month and focus more on domestic stays, road trips or vacations close to home, rather than hopping on a plane,” Expedia said.
Airports like Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas and Orlando were hailed as the kings of affordability as ticket prices were 25% below the national average. At Washington Dulles, San Francisco, and New York-JFK, you can lower your budget by spending 25% or more than national average prices.
