How far in advance to get the best flight deals??

sablebomb · Feb 17, 2018

How far in advance would those experienced Canadian travelers suggest booking flights to get the best deal??

FigmentSpark · Feb 17, 2018

ASAP - the day the bookings are announced.

CaperCris · Feb 18, 2018

I booked in January for our August trip, got an amazing price through Google flights. Saved $1100 over our last trip when I didn't book until May for a September trip.

aballerina · Feb 18, 2018

Where are you going and when?
Flight prices fluctuate from day to day, sometimes even within the same day. Use a site like Expedia, put in your dates and destination, then check every single day. When you see a good price grab it as it may not be there the next day.

deedubb · Feb 18, 2018

I think it depends when you are going. If it is at a time of high demand (eg. Xmas), I find the sooner the better. Otherwise, the prices can fluctuate quite a bit. Last Xmas, I booked in late March and as it got closer to the date, prices were up over $1000 total for 4 of us.

You can use an app like Hopper to help.

I just read an article which said the magic time frame was about 52 days before the trip IIRC. If you book really early (such as the day the flights are released), the airline is not in a rush to sell the seats and the prices are high. If you wait too long (ie. just before the trip), the price is high due to the law of supply and demand. Again though, this does not apply when going at a very busy time, in which case you should book early.

It would be great to have a crystal ball. I always find it to be a bit of a guessing game. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose.

RipperSB · Feb 18, 2018

Used to be, the earlier you booked the cheaper it was. Nowadays, it does not appear to be the case, the price rises and falls like the price of gas. I use Google Flights to track prices a look for trends. When the trend shows a falling price that I am comfortable paying, I head over to the airlines website and book the flight. The past few trips that meant booking 6-9 months out.

Sue M · Feb 18, 2018

It also depends on the airline. United, American & Delta seem to have more seat sales than Alaska. But Alaska is my preferred airline, I have points program with them and since Seattle is their hub the flights are better for me. With them often the flights are best the earlier you book. If they drop they have a price guarantee.

FigmentSpark · Feb 18, 2018

I watched the flights for this spring break from YYZ to MCO from the day they were released. There were Tango flights for about a month and then nothing. Sure, the Flex tickets fluctuated, but no deals like the Tango flights ever again throughout the year.

Of course, it makes a difference if you are going over a high demand week and if you're going midweek or on Fri/Sat. I'm about to get my Xmas flights for here in Canada this week, because those aren't going to get cheaper, either. But my summer travel, I'll buy in April.

sablebomb · Feb 18, 2018

Going at the end of October. Flying out of YHZ. Don' think we can get direct flight in October. But if not would.like to conne t in the US somewhere to clear customs before leaving Halifax.

Frozen2014 · Feb 19, 2018

FigmentSpark said:
I watched the flights for this spring break from YYZ to MCO from the day they were released. There were Tango flights for about a month and then nothing. Sure, the Flex tickets fluctuated, but no deals like the Tango flights ever again throughout the year.

Of course, it makes a difference if you are going over a high demand week and if you're going midweek or on Fri/Sat. I'm about to get my Xmas flights for here in Canada this week, because those aren't going to get cheaper, either. But my summer travel, I'll buy in April.

We're going on a cruise March break next year and I find it so hard to know when to book. This would follow your 'opening day' suggestion. The only thing is that each airline has their own opening day, which can be months apart. And some release daily, opening up a day at a time (e.g. Air Canada), and some releaes in chunks (e.g. Southwest). For the ones that open up a day at a time, do you book your way there first? And then book the return flight separately when it opens? Not sure if its more expensive that way. Also not sure if one airline is cheaper in general than another? e.g. do we skip AC and wait for United to open? And do we try leaving from Toronto or do we wait for Buffalo options to open up? So many variables.
OP isn't going prime time so may be different answer for their family vs March Break or Christmas.

youngdeb12 · Feb 19, 2018

We got the best deal for our Feb/March flights on a seat sale a few weeks before Black Friday. I tracked them from June until we booked in October and they were always higher up until about 3-4 months before we were leaving. I'm not sure what they would've been if we had booked when they were first released, and we aren't travelling during a Spring Break/Holiday period.

friedela · Feb 20, 2018

we booked ours in September I believe (we are leaving in 4 days so 5,6 months in advance). I have been checking off and on since then and the flights have only gotten more expensive.

Tanooki · Feb 20, 2018

Although I wouldn’t advise doing this, we just got great prices on flights 3 weeks before our vacation!
We were actually planning on driving as usual (only flown in the summer as the prices during winter break were always very high) but I kept checking and found amazing prices on Southwest (94$ each way).
We have to drive 3.5 hours to get to the airport (Albany) but it sure beats the 2-day drive to get to WDW!

On the other hand, we also booked our summer flights to California (DL for the first time!) in January because we found a great deal then, this time leaving from our home airport of Montreal (340$ rt CAN each).
So you never know...

disneyfan123 · Feb 21, 2018

We booked our flights for our October trip last month, which is far earlier than I expected. I found a crazy deal through google flights that was too good to pass up; just under $1500 CDN for the 5 of us from Vancouver to Orlando, with one layover in Chicago. The flights were at the perfect time of day, leaving Vancouver at 11am and arriving at 10pm (7pm for us, due to the time change). Leaving Orlando at 9:30 and arriving at 3:30. I couldn't have asked for anything more, especially for under $300/person. I saved $1000 compared to what I was planning on spending for flights!

sablebomb · Feb 21, 2018

I'm going to keep checking daily now and as soon as I see the flights go into the 300's I think I'll book.
I saw one for just over 300 a few days ago, didn't book and now the same flight is up to 467.00. Auugghhhhh!!

mernin · Feb 21, 2018

I usually watch until it reaches a number I’m good with booking at. I never book st opening day out of Canada as I find there are usually many seat sales with WestJet or AC. I booked our April trip at the end of December, which is early for me. I am still looking at our connecting flights in the US (going to Phoenix first then onto Orlando), we are 6 weeks away and I expect to book in the next week or so.

A different strategy than travelling south, I travel often in Canada for work and rarely book more than 4 weeks out

Frozen2014 · Feb 21, 2018

mernin said:
I usually watch until it reaches a number I’m good with booking at. I never book st opening day out of Canada as I find there are usually many seat sales with WestJet or AC. I booked our April trip at the end of December, which is early for me. I am still looking at our connecting flights in the US (going to Phoenix first then onto Orlando), we are 6 weeks away and I expect to book in the next week or so.

A different strategy than travelling south, I travel often in Canada for work and rarely book more than 4 weeks out

I assume this is for non-peak times?

sablebomb, we had the same thing happen as I've been watching flights but we aren't 100% sure of our trip...and on Sunday flights were raised dramatically. Feel the same 'ugh'. Hope they fall back down again for you and you can get a decent price.

mernin · Feb 21, 2018

Our April trip is Easter Sunday through April 15. The flight I haven’t booked yet is Friday April 6, which is the week after Easter. I wouldn’t necessarily call it peak, but wouldn’t be non-peak. There are still spring breaks happening then.

Frozen2014 · Feb 21, 2018

Thanks for the feedback.

bcwife76 · Feb 21, 2018

disneyfan123 said:
We booked our flights for our October trip last month, which is far earlier than I expected. I found a crazy deal through google flights that was too good to pass up; just under $1500 CDN for the 5 of us from Vancouver to Orlando, with one layover in Chicago. The flights were at the perfect time of day, leaving Vancouver at 11am and arriving at 10pm (7pm for us, due to the time change). Leaving Orlando at 9:30 and arriving at 3:30. I couldn't have asked for anything more, especially for under $300/person. I saved $1000 compared to what I was planning on spending for flights!

Wow, that's incredible! We booked at the beginning of this month for October from Vancouver (Oct 24 to Nov 3) family of 4 and we are paying $1700CAD and I thought that was fantastic!

How far in advance to get the best flight deals??

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