The Cheapest Days to Fly and Save Money

What are the cheapest days to fly? Lots of people will tell you it’s a Tuesday - but the real answer depends on where you’re flying to and from, and whether or not it’s peak season for your destination.

So, in this guide, we’ll take a look at what the SIMOVO team has to say about the cheapest days to fly, and what the general consensus from the experts is on saving cash when grabbing a flight. 

Remember, too, that you can start saving money before you even board - when you use the right eSIM! If you’re heading to Australia, for example, a SIMOVO eSIM for Oceania will cover you for data before you fly, meaning you won’t have to worry about overspending on data with your carrier.

But, let’s not digress, and take a look at the cheapest days to fly and save money.

What are the cheapest days to fly?

The short answer is there isn’t a specific cheapest day to fly on average! There is a myth that Tuesdays are commonly cheaper than most (and we’ll discuss this below), but you need to consider which days are the most expensive, not the cheapest.

The most expensive days to fly tend to fall on weekends, so any time from Friday through to Monday each week, thanks to people taking time away from work, and as a result of business trips starting and ending. Therefore, you’re most likely to find the best value deals for your route and airline between Tuesday and Friday.

Understand the truth behind the Tuesday myth

There is some truth behind the Tuesday myth in that some airlines launch deals after the business rush finishes. That said, airlines and package providers launch flash sales and cheap tickets at any time, meaning that old-school marketing techniques don’t always come into play.

Crucially, flight pricing can be unpredictable if you’re just looking at days of the week. Just like it’s worth planning ahead for mobile data costs by, say, grabbing an eSIM for Asia, it’s also a good idea to check services like SkyScanner months ahead of time for great deals.

Use price alerts to track airfare changes

Instead of constantly checking ticket prices for deals to land and prices to drop, we recommend choosing a few different platforms, like Expedia and FareCompare, and setting up custom price alerts for your specific routes and destinations.

For instance, if you already have an eSIM for Europe ready to go, you may want to set price alerts on airlines traveling to London, Paris, Rome, or Bucharest. Your chosen tool or price alert will then text or email you to let you know when drops occur.

Don’t feel you have to stick to the same price checkers, either. Sign up for several for free and compare and contrast rates. The sooner you do this, the better, so that you can get ahead of some fantastic offers.

Choose the best time to fly for lower prices

While there’s only a small nugget of truth behind the Tuesday myth, there are still some days of the week that can prove cheaper for flyers depending on where they are traveling. Here’s what you need to keep in mind.

Domestic flight timing tips

As mentioned, you’re likely to find Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays offer cheaper rates because they fall outside of the business trip zone, and this means there’s not as much demand for them. This doesn’t always apply to international flights, but if you’re traveling cross-country, you might be surprised.

Try to avoid weekend travel if you’re keen to save money on domestic trips. Sunday tends to be the big return day for family vacations, short stays, and business trips, so if you really want to head back on a weekend, look at Saturdays.

International flight timing tips

Internationally, there’s even less wiggle room for specific day pricing - it really depends on the luck of the draw. While you might be saving considerable money with an eSIM for South America, choosing to fly to Brazil on, say, a Thursday, won’t always guarantee you a cut-price trip.

Our advice for international flight timing is just to stick to your guns when it comes to booking far in advance, and to using multiple flight search engines.

Extra ways to save money when booking flights

Don’t feel too bad about there not being a magical cheapest day to book flights - there are still plenty of other cash-savvy ways to save money on flying abroad. Here are some big tips from the SIMOVO crew that genuinely work.

Stay flexible with travel dates

If you don’t have to travel during peak season or during holidays, don’t. If you can avoid Sundays, do. You’ll save hundreds, potentially, just by going a little later or earlier than most, meaning you’ll have more to spend when you arrive.

Always make use of flight calendars on comparison sites and apps to see when the cheapest travel days are, and keep your options open. You might even want to keep your destinations open if you just want a break away, meaning you could grab an eSIM for North America and go anywhere in the US or Canada, depending on how cheap the connections are.

Split your journeys

If you don’t mind a short layover or stopover, booking with separate airlines often means that you can save hundreds of dollars on long, boring, long-haul trips. Use different comparison engines and map out your connections carefully, and see how much you could save.

Book flights in advance when possible

As mentioned, booking well ahead of time really does save serious money. Just as you’d invest in an eSIM for Africa months ahead to ensure your data is covered, it makes sense to check how much your routes are retailing for at the start of the year. Chances are, they will get more expensive close to peak season, so don’t wait around for too long.

Be careful to check extra costs

Extra costs, including additional baggage handling fees, card processing surcharges, and long-haul add-ons, can really increase the rates you pay to fly, even far in advance. Always check the fine print of any tickets you book, and where possible, avoid booking directly through airlines - comparison engines are the way to go.

Rebook flights if prices drop

Always book flights with cancellation policies! Doing so means that if a flash sale occurs later on in the season, you can drop out of your original deal, get your money back, and rebook at a cheaper rate. Not all engines and airlines support this flexibility, however, so be ready to compare and contrast.

Use referral programs to earn travel credits

Lastly, it’s always a good idea to register for frequent flyer programs and to recommend friends and family to airline comparison sites. Doing so could earn you more than a few credits or miles to add to future trips - great if you plan to travel a lot in the near future!

So, what are the cheapest days to fly? Turns out, midweek is your best shot at domestic trips, but internationally, it’s anyone’s guess. Regardless, before you grab a seat on the next flight out, make sure you have an eSIM with unlimited data to save even more money on mobile internet usage, regardless of where you go.

For example - SIMOVO offers tons of pay-upfront coverage for regions such as the UAE with a specific eSIM for the Middle East - don’t be too quick to rely on your home carrier’s roaming rates!