Cheap Flights, Plane Tickets & Airline Deals - Expedia (2023)

FAQs

What airline has the cheapest flights right now? ›

“While the best day of the week to book has been Sunday for the past four years, travelers saved 5% more on average in 2022 compared to 2021,” the report notes. Expedia also recommends booking domestic flights at least a month in advance — or six months for international flights — for 10% savings on average.

What The Expedia Price Match Guarantee Offers. The Expedia Price Match Guarantee is offered for a nominal fee at the booking page. You pay somewhere between $5-30 per ticket, and if your exact same itinerary goes down in price on Expedia, you'll get a refund for the difference in price.

Typically, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday is the cheapest day to fly. If you can structure your travel schedule around these days, these will likely be the best days to fly – both for a lower cost and a less-hectic airport experience.

Timing plays an important part. Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date. Instead, flights tend to be the most inexpensive when you book between four months and three weeks before your departure date. According to CheapAir.com, you can expect rates to go up after that period.

To take advantage of this, make sure to check out the “Daily Deals” on Expedia's website. These flights and hotels book about a week in advance, so it's a spontaneous plan, but they are often as much as 40% off the original price! With these exceptional deals, you can travel the world without breaking the bank.

Expedia's Best Price Guarantee: if you find a better deal on the same package or accommodation within 24 hours of booking it on Expedia, you can let them know, and they will give you a complete refund. You'll also receive a $50 voucher to use towards a future booking on Expedia! Sounds great, right?

Timing Matters: Not Too Early, Not Too Late

The general rule is that for domestic flights, travelers should start searching for flight tickets one to three months in advance. For international flights, the best prices are typically available from two to eight months in advance.

Can you call an airline to negotiate price? ›

You can even try bargaining directly with the airline's representative on the toll-free number. Be patient and polite, and ask them about the possibilities of getting the flight at a lower fare.

Rather than booking directly through the airline, doing it through Expedia can save travelers money. In many cases, Expedia can offer flight tickets cheaper than the airlines. Because third-party services often get a bulk discount, they can sell their flight deals for less than the average ticket prices.

When do flight prices drop during the week? According to our data: Tuesday. It seems most airlines launch their discounts on Monday nights, so you can pick up the best prices on Tuesday mornings. Typically, you'll save somewhere between 15 and 25 percent.

Is it cheaper to book a flight at the last minute? We've said this before, but it's worth repeating at the outset—no, it's really not cheaper to book a flight at the last minute. Yes, last minute travelers used to score the occasional fare so low it might have induced shock, but that's no longer the case.

Jan. Most of the month. Once the Christmas through New Year's travel rush subsides, and school starts for many around Jan 7th.

More often than not, booking directly through the airline's website will give you the best price, or will at least be the same as the OTAs. Some airlines, like Southwest, won't even show up on sites like Expedia or Orbitz, so you have to book direct. It can also be the most simple way to book.

Expedia does sometimes offer coupons and promo codes to help travelers save.

Instead, research by Expedia shows the ideal day to book a flight is Sunday. For domestic flights, you can get the best airfare by booking at the end of the weekend. Doing so can save you around 5%. For international flights, the savings are nearly 10%.

Are round-trip flights cheaper? Booking a round-trip flight can be cheaper than booking one-way tickets on the same flights. Before booking two one-way flights, check the round-trip price to see if it's cheaper.

Is it cheaper to book a flight online or call? ›

The Bottom Line: Buy Online

To get the cheapest plane ticket, always book online. Even if this means booking a ticket on your phone in the airport parking lot, you'll be better off. Airport ticket prices just aren't less expensive, as people seem to think.

Is Expedia reliable? You might be cautious of go-betweens or third-party booking sites, but Expedia is a legitimate, well-known online travel agency that's been around for years.

When it comes down to it, booking directly through the airline is almost always more convenient. If the price changes after you buy your ticket, many airlines will get you the difference back. Southwest, for example, refunds the difference directly to you or applies it as credit towards future airfare.

And while customer service is no doubt better with larger OTAs like Expedia, they're still acting as a middle man. That can slow things down when things have gone wrong and you need a solution fast. If you want the best customer service possible in case of an issue, it's better to book directly with the airline.

No, your search history doesn't affect flight prices.

"We run thousands of searches every day, day after day. If prices were rising based on those previous searches, we'd see it."

Yes, morning flights can be cheaper. Because they are flown at off-peak times, airlines sell morning flights at a cheaper rate as an incentive for customers to choose morning flights over flights at other times of the day.

You can similarly score a price drop credit until 10 minutes before your flight — even if you've already checked in. Though Southwest flights typically get more expensive the closer time ticks toward departure, if you keep your eye on the airfare price, you might get a deal.

There are certain days of the week when you shouldn't book your flight, especially if you're seeking bargain fares. On Tuesday, fares are the cheapest, but you may also find good prices on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Where is the cheapest place to fly right now? ›

As low as $49 one-way nonstop between Phoenix and Los Angeles, As low as $49 one-way nonstop between Chicago (Midway) and Nashville, and. As low as $49 one-way nonstop between San Diego and Las Vegas.

Jan. Most of the month. Once the Christmas through New Year's travel rush subsides, and school starts for many around Jan 7th.

As they generally get more business sales closer to the date of the flight, prices typically go up as the date of the flight gets closer. How fast the flight prices rise and how often depends on how the airlines' sales have gone compared to what was expected.

To get the cheapest plane ticket, always book online. Even if this means booking a ticket on your phone in the airport parking lot, you'll be better off. Airport ticket prices just aren't less expensive, as people seem to think.

Pretty much every Tuesday, in fact. The sales typically apply to cash bookings as well as redeeming Southwest points. Southwest has an unofficial but predictable fare sale calendar that drops the prices on some routes nearly every Tuesday.

Senior Fares apply only to those in the traveling party who are age 65 or over. Southwest Airlines has other discounted fares for those not meeting the above age requirements.

$59 one-way fares are available between West Palm Beach and Cleveland, between Orlando and Detroit, between Tampa Bay and Chicago Midway, between Jacksonville and Louisville, and between Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood and St.