When is the best time to book your flight? Google just spilled all the airfare secrets

Although there’s no static calendar date for when fares are cheapest, there is a framework for when cheap flights are most likely to pop up. I call these Goldilocks Windows.

it boils down to three primary factors: Where to fly? When to go? When to book? If it feels intimidating to optimize for cheap flights by having no prerequisites at all, try choosing one of these three considerations and centering your trip on that.

Flight search engines are the best place to find cheap flights. They save a lot of time during the search process and ensure you’ll see the cheapest fares available. Though there are many flight search engines, my personal favorite is a relatively new one: Google Flights.

While Google Flights excels in robustness, flexibility, and speed, one drawback is that it can sometimes miss cheaper fares if they’re found only on smaller OTAs. Best practice, therefore, is to start your search on Google Flights, locate the cheapest route and dates that appeal to you, and then check that flight on a site like Skyscanner or Momond

If the question were about long-term trends in airfare, average ticket price would be useful data. But the question they’re claiming to answer is when should you book a flight in order to get the cheapest fare. On this matter, average ticket price tells you almost nothing.

Rather than aiming to book flights just as they become available or waiting until a week before departure, I recommend following the Goldilocks Principle: Don’t book too early or too late. Aim for somewhere right in the middle. The sweet spot will vary depending on when and where you’re traveling. In general, international flights are most likely t