When to book flights: the honest answer
Six to ten weeks out for most routes, earlier for holidays. Here is the data behind the rule.
1 min read
The booking window
For short-haul flights the cheapest fares cluster six to ten weeks before departure. Long-haul opens earlier.
What moves the price
- School holidays and public holidays at both ends
- Day of the week (Tuesday and Wednesday departures are cheapest on most routes)
- Time of day
Set an alert, then decide
Use the price calendar on our route pages and book when the fare drops below the monthly median.
When is the best time to visit Istanbul?
Fly into IST or SAW; Istanbulkart covers ferries, trams and metro.
