What You Need to Know About National Cheap Flight Day

Image: Plane flying through clouds. (Photo Credit: denklim / Adobe Stock)
Image: Plane flying through clouds. (Photo Credit: denklim / Adobe Stock)
Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 11:40 AM ET, Tue August 13, 2024

The time to save big on your next flight is right now.

After all, Friday, August 23 is National Cheap Flight Day, a date that recognizes the historical trend in a significant drop in airfares as travel demand typically dips ahead of shoulder season.

This period is the ideal time to book your getaway before rates begin to increase and ultimately peak around the busy Thanksgiving holiday in late November. 

According to data from online travel agency CheapOair, both domestic and international airfares are trending downward at the moment. In fact, the average cost of a U.S. domestic airline ticket has decreased by 33.4 percent since June 1 and the average for U.S. international flight fares has decreased by 10 percent for the same period.

The same trends are being noticed in Canada.

Additionally, airfares for bookings to date in the U.S. for August and September are trending 30 percent down for domestic flights and 10 percent down for international flights when compared to the same period last year, CheapOair found.

"Summer is winding down and consumer focus is on returning to normal work and school schedules. Our data shows that airfares are trending downward, and we expect that to continue for the immediate future," Glenn Cusano, President of Fareportal, the corporation behind OTA brands CheapOair and OneTravel, said in a statement. "By sharing this information, CheapOair reminds us that it’s really the perfect time to get a jump on holiday travel plans."

Whether working with an experienced travel advisor or monitoring fares through tools like Google Flights and subscription services such as Going.com, the coming days will offer travelers the best opportunities to lock in the best flight deals left in 2024.

Having the flexibility to book and fly on certain days of the week will also help you save. 


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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