Google Flights ” No. 1 tip, always’ to mark a cheap plane ticket

Finding a cheap flight can sometimes be as difficult as marking a decent snack on a plane.

But travel experts generally agree on a single advice to get a good deal on the plane ticket: be flexible.

“It is our advice not .1, still, for travelers” looking for offers, said James Byrs, leader of the Google Flights product team.

Flexibility can mean flying in the middle of the week rather than during the weekend, or perhaps traveling outside the high season for a particular destination, said and other experts.

“Try not to locate yourself in a really specific date,” said Byers.

Even the trip of trips for a day or two in both directions can make a “huge difference,” he said.

Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually the cheapest days to fly. Tickets are 13% cheaper than weekend flights, according to new Google flight data.

Google examined the mid-return plane tickets from January 1, 2021 to August 1, 2025. He analyzed the four-day to 16 days traveling from the 4,000 main markets in the United States

Departures in the middle of the week are a “simple means” to save $ 42 per ticket, or about 14%, on average, for the domestic plane ticket, according to a Hopper report.

Sunday is often the most expensive day to fly, Hayley Berg, Hopper’s main economist, in the report. It is usually a busy day at airports when people are coming home weekends, she wrote.

“Travelers thinking of a weekend getaway can save considerably while leaving half-only and returning on Saturday or on Monday, instead of Sunday,” wrote Berg.

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Of course, the holidays can throw a key in these guidelines.

For example, flying Wednesday before Thanksgiving is probably the most expensive day to fly in this particular party, said Sally French, travel analyst at Nerdwallet.

As a bonus, skipping weekend trips can also cause major hotel discounts. Recording on Friday or Saturday and staying until Sunday means paying a premium more than 20%, or about $ 50 more per night, compared to the cheapest days of the week to register, as Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, according to Hopper Data.

Many travelers fall into the “myth” that the day of the week they buy their flight have a great financial effect, said French.

“This is not true,” she said. “It’s not the day you book (it’s important), it’s the day you fly.”

Tuesday was historically the cheapest day of the week to book, but it was only 1.3% cheaper than Sunday, the most expensive day, according to Google Flights analysis.

“If I gave advice to my friends and family about what to look for, it would be lower on the list as a factor,” said Byers. “I wouldn’t say:” Wait on Tuesday. “”

Flexibility at a more macro level can also help reduce your plane ticket, said French.

“The simple fact of a less congested month can be useful,” she said.

This could mean traveling during the season or the off -season of a destination, experts said.

The plane ticket generally culminates in the middle of the summer and falls as the beginning of the fall, wrote Berg. For example, national travelers in 2024 saved 40%, on average or around $ 150, from the peak of summer to September or October, she wrote, quoting hopper data.

Of course, it can be difficult for some travelers to be flexible.

Parents can be linked to summer trips due to school holidays, while workers in certain roles, for example, teachers or income preparers, can be limited when they can take holidays.

In addition, visits or cruises are generally delivered with rigid start and end dates, and this may not have a financial sense of sticking additional days – and additional hotel and food costs – at the start or at the end of a trip, said French.

There are other ways to save, however, said experts.

Releases, although potentially restrictive, are often an infallible means of saving money. The reservation of a route with a stopover allows travelers about 22%, on average, compared to theft constantly, according to Google Flights.

Do not forget to pack all the essential items for your trip to your hand luggage luggage in case your suitcase will not reach the next plane, said French.

Reservation in advance, or, not waiting until the last minute, often saves money, said experts.

The lowest prices were 39 days before departure for an internal flight and 49 days for international, according to Google Flights. The objective may vary depending on the destination, experts said.