Research reveals cheapest day to fly and the best time to book

KAYAK.com.au has analysed over one billion searches on its website to determine the cheapest time to book and travel to the most popular destinations for Australians in 2017.

According to the travel booking site, you can save more than 60% on airfares if you’re savvy about your timing.

Domestic travel

For those wanting to explore more of this great country (for a great bargain) KAYAK.com.au suggests booking two to three months out from your departure for an average saving of 46%. Their analysis found that Sydney, Adelaide and the Gold Coast can be booked one month in advance with a saving of more that 42%. Melbourne and Hobart, on the other hand, are best booked six months prior for the best deal.

When it comes to choosing a departure day, the weekend isn’t as expensive as you’d expect. Saturday is the cheapest day to fly out to Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, while Sunday is an ideal day to travel to Sydney and Hobart. However, heading home is best left for mid-week with cheaper flights found on Tuesday and Wednesday.

International travel

When it comes to international travel the early organiser will always get the best bargain, with an average saving of 29% when booking a flight four to ten months before departure. Bali in particular will need a bit of forethought, with airfares best booked ten months out.

However, if you’re heading across the ditch you can hold off planning until the last minute with savings of 53% available to those who book three months out. Even the long flight to London is best booked three months prior to takeoff with a saving of 31%.

Make the most of your annual leave with an early week departure – these are the most economical for six of the ten most popular destinations. Monday is the best day to fly to Bali, Bangkok and Paris, and Tuesday is the ideal choice for those heading to Los Angeles, Tokyo and Honolulu.

Have you tried this tip before? Let us know if it worked in the comments section below. 

This article first appeared on 7Travel.com and was republished with permission.