Airline Flight Ticket Release Dates

There is no hard and fast rule regarding the best time to book your flights. Prices can go up and down at a moment’s notice. As with most things money related, those people responsible for helping us part with our hard earned cash will want to get the most out of us for the service they provide. By the same token, when we embark on a search for a product, we, in return, want to get the best price possible. There is a balance to be had! If you know when you can expect the airlines to release new sales, you can start planning.

Flight Ticket Release Dates

When is the best time to book a flight?

It is a fact that waiting until a few days before you wish to fly to book, you will probably pay the most for your flight. Unlike the old days, when you turned up at the airport to get a very last-minute deal for next to nothing. Booking early, on the other hand, will give you a good price with more specific choice of date and airline. Of course, flights can still drop at any time from the release date. Many airlines have interim ‘sales’ where you are able to grab a flight at a discount. It is the case that even after the sales period flights can still decrease, sometimes almost immediately!

Use comparison sites to get the best priced flight

With this option you will be able to see at first glance which flight is available for your chosen route (choose: prices low to high). You will be able to use tools to choose certain times of the day; direct or indirect; leave from one airport, return to another. You may choose the ‘everywhere’ option and find the cheapest place to fly if you just want to get away for a bargain price. Skyscanner enables you to choose a month rather than a specific date, allowing you to see precisely the cheapest day to leave and return.

Flight price alerts

This is a handy tool for keeping you informed of the rise and fall of prices. It is probably not so useful if you’re booking early as it is very difficult to predict what may happen in coming months. But, if you are only a month away from flying and are able to keep an eye on prices, the alert will tell you if prices start to drop or when they begin to rise. If you are a frequent traveller, you will instinctively know if a price for a particular flight is a deal or not. When you see what you consider to be a good deal, book it!

Finally, once you have booked your flight, check out our secure airport parking and get the best deals by booking as early as you can!