Itching to fly but don't want to pay top dollar? Here's when you should travel.
New Report: This Is the Cheapest Month to Travel
Published on Feb. 06, 2025
Whether you’re an avid traveler or fly only now and then, you’ve probably noticed that airfare prices are constantly creeping up. Finding the best price on airline tickets can be trickier than nabbing an elusive upgrade to first class. If you’ve started to suspect timing is everything, you’re right.
Expedia recently released its 2025 Air Hacks Report, which confirms that knowing when to book your flight can save you money on airfare. Keep reading to find out the cheapest month to travel and what else you can do to save money when booking your next trip.
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What is the cheapest month to travel?
Even though August is one of the peak months for summer travel, it also happens to be the cheapest time to take a trip. According to Expedia’s latest report, you’ll get the best airfare possible by traveling in August—it can save you up to 12% on domestic travel and up to 7% on international travel compared with the most expensive travel month of the year.
Why is August the cheapest month to travel?
August is the sweet spot for flights for reasons related to summer vacation plans, back-to-school schedules and sweat-inducing temps. But because we tend to lump it in with the in-demand summer months—when prices typically skyrocket—it can be surprising to learn that August is the cheapest month to travel.
It’s true! Travel typically starts to taper off in August. With less demand comes lower prices.
“In the U.S., the kids are going back to school, and in Europe, especially Italy and France, locals are on vacation. Plus, it’s a hot time of year in many popular destinations, which drives down the demand a bit,” says Christine Hudson, an Expedia travel expert. “All of these factors contribute to why traveling during late summer can yield big savings.”
What are the most expensive months to travel?
If you’re planning any trips during February and March, get ready to pay top dollar. They’re the two most expensive months to travel.
On the plus side, February is also the quietest month of the year to fly, so at least your trip should be peaceful, even if it’s pricey. Chances are, even the busiest airports will be calmer than usual.
Why are February and March expensive months to travel?
February and March are great months to take a trip if your goal is to escape the cold. But that’s not the only reason it’s such an in-demand time of the year for travelers. “February and March have surfaced as the two priciest months to fly, largely attributed to spring break demand as well as interest in ski destinations and warm-weather locales during the frigid winter months,” says Hudson.
In other words, you may be taking the kids on a spring break trip to escape the cold, but so is everyone else. And the greater demand leads to jacked-up prices.
How else can you save money on airfare?
As much as we’d all love to buy the cheapest airfare possible, we can’t possibly reserve all of our travel for the month of August. Fortunately, Expedia just announced a brand-new Flight Deals tool that can help you save money on airfare year-round.
The Flight Deals tool is a customizable feed in the Expedia app. Simply select your home airport, then browse all of the current deals on flights departing from there. You can filter the results by travel dates and destination, and you can also create custom alerts to notify you when a deal you might want to book pops up. The best part? It shows only those ticket prices that are at least 20% lower than the typical predicted fare, so you won’t have to sift through a ton of results to find out if you’re actually getting a good deal.
If you’re a fan of flight price trackers, this is a great feature to add to your arsenal. Before you know it, you’ll be putting your seat back and your tray table into its full upright position and getting ready for that hard-earned vacation.
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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
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