The Cheapest Days of The Week to Fly

Megan Johnson Sep 22, 2025
Airplane, suitcase and umbrella on white calendar background.
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You’ve picked your destination, and now you are trying to decide when to go. Ideally, we’d all love to fly out on a Friday evening and come back the following Sunday afternoon. However, those are peak times for travel so it can become quite expensive. If you have some flexibility about when you can go, some days to fly are cheaper than others.


To determine the best days of the week to fly, I compared fares for each day (one domestic route and one international route), all within the same week. This shows how much prices can vary depending on the day you choose to travel.

** (Note: Prices were accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.) **

  • 7. Sunday

    • Sunday is generally the most popular day of the week to fly, since everyone wants to maximize their vacation time by returning on the last day of the weekend.


    Traveling on Sundays can cost you up to 17% more than traveling on other days of the week.

    Example Fares, Nonstop:
    BOS - LAX $607
    BOS - CDG $784

  • 6. Friday

    • Between business travelers coming home after a week away and those wanting to make the most of the weekend, Fridays are the second most expensive day to fly. As tempting as it may be to leave right after work for that tropical vacation, you’d be better off waiting a day or taking an extra day off and leaving on Thursday.

    Example Fares, Nonstop:
    BOS - LAX $324
    BOS - CDG $628

  • 5. Monday

    • Similar to Friday, the beginning of the week is a popular time to fly, as business travelers head out for the week and people who work weekends take their time off. It will likely be slightly cheaper than peak weekend travel (Friday/Sunday), but not as affordable as other days of the week.

    Example Fares, Nonstop:
    BOS - LAX $324
    BOS - CDG $618

  • 4. Thursday

    • Midweek is typically cheaper to fly; however, Thursdays can be slightly more expensive, as some people prefer to jet away a day or two early. The exception here is for international travel—Thursday is typically much cheaper for international travel than Sundays and Fridays.

    Example Fares, Nonstop:
    BOS-LAX $327
    BOS-CDG $618

  • 3. Saturday

    • Since everyone wants to make the most of their weekend and not waste a full day of travel, Saturdays are often a much cheaper alternative for those who can’t leave midweek. You’ll sometimes be able to find fares for nearly 20% less than traveling on Sunday. Coming home on a Saturday may mean losing a day of vacation, but it also gives you a whole day to recover and prepare for the week ahead.

    Example Fares, Nonstop:
    BOS-LAX $284
    BOS-CDG $758

  • 2. Tuesday

    • If you want to save money when flying, Tuesdays are always a good option. You can save over 10% on your fare if you’re able to fly on Tuesday.

    Example Fares, Nonstop:
    BOS-LAX $227
    BOS-CDG $528

  • 1. Wednesday

    • The cheapest day to fly is smack dab in the middle: Wednesday. Both domestic and international fares are significantly cheaper on Wednesdays, and can sometimes save you over $100 on a single flight.

    Example Fares, Nonstop:
    BOS-LAX $227
    BOS-CDG $528

  • What is the Cheapest Day to Fly Domestically?

    • Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday are your best days to fly domestically. Flying on Saturday can save you up to 17% on flights compared to Sunday. Flying midweek on Tuesday or Wednesday will also result in savings.

  • What Is The Cheapest Day to Fly Internationally?

    • Midweek or later in the week (but not the weekend) is generally your best bet for cheaper airfare for international travel. A study by Expedia and the Airlines Reporting Corporation suggests that Thursday is the cheapest day for international flights.

  • Why do Fridays and Sundays Cost More to Fly?

    • The answer is pretty simple: for the same reason you’d like to travel on Friday or Sunday, so does everyone else. Most people prefer to travel on Fridays and Sundays, especially on Friday afternoons and evenings, and Sunday afternoons. If you only take one vacation a year, you want to make that time count, so you’ll try to use every hour possible. Airlines are aware of this, so airfare costs more. Alternatively, flights midweek have less demand, and airlines want to fill the seats, so they offer cheaper airfare to do so.

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