According to new research from Expedia, air travel is a leading cause of stress for 55% of Americans, who find it more daunting than filing taxes or visiting the dentist. To help break the cycle of stress as the busy holiday travel season approaches, Expedia released its 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, unpacking data-backed strategies for saving money and reducing stress. Highlights from this year’s report include: 

The booking sweet spot just got sweeter: 

• • Domestic airfare should be booked 28 days before departure; travelers saved up to 24% compared to those who booked at the last minute, surpassing the 10% savings travelers saw on average in 2022. 
  • International airfare should be booked around 60 days out (and no more than 4 months out) for optimal availability and savings (around 10% on average). Last year, the sweet spot was closer to six months out. 
• Sunday remains the cheapest day of the week to book flights, while Fridays are most expensive. On average, travelers saved up to 13%.
• Fly before 3 p.m. to minimize the impact of delays and cancellations. Flights departing after 3 p.m. statistically have a 50% higher chance of being canceled than earlier flights. 
• There’s officially no bad time to book, with Expedia’s Price Drop Protection: More than a quarter (28%) of U.S. travelers continue checking ticket prices even after they’ve booked, but this new product issues a refund if the price of the ticket drops on Expedia after booking.

The analysis also found that average ticket prices remain nearly flat compared to last year and flight cancellation rates have improved (1.7% of flights compared to 4.1% in 2022³), positive trends for travelers that cited finding a good deal (61%) and worrying about disruptions (28%) as big contributors to stress. 

“No way should people rather get a cavity filled than go on a trip, so thank goodness a lot of the things causing travel-related stress are getting better,” said Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group Brands public relations. “Fewer flights are being canceled and technology is helping with tools in the Expedia app like Price Tracking and Price Drop Protection that make the whole booking and flying journey smoother.” 

Expedia’s annual Air Travel Hacks Report is backed by an analysis of billions of data points and the most extensive air ticketing database in the world through collaboration with Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) and OAG. 

“Airlines are adding capacity and increasing service to meet the sustained air travel demand we’ve seen throughout 2023,” said Chuck Thackston, managing director of data science and research at ARC. “Air travel has proven resilient over the past few years, with travelers increasingly taking to the skies for both business and leisure. Fortunately for those travelers, the cost of airfare has been below 2022 levels for most of the year.” 

Here’s the full 2024 report below.

2024 Air Travel Hacks Report 

WHEN TO BOOK 

• Book airfare on a Sunday to save up to 13%. Travelers who book on Sundays instead of Fridays tend to save, on average, around 6% on domestic flights and 13% on international flights. 

• Book domestic flights at least a month before to save 24%. Travelers that booked 28 days prior to departure saved 24% on average compared to those who waited until the last minute. 
• Book international airfare around 60 days out, and no earlier than four months in advance, for optimal availability, selection and savings. Travelers who booked 60 days out saved around 10% compared to those that booked further out, as average ticket prices peaked around four months from departure.  

WHEN TO TRAVEL 

• Depart on a Thursday to save up to 16%.² Avoid departing on Sundays, which are the priciest days, on average, to start a trip. 
• Depart before 3 p.m. to reduce chance of cancellations.³ 32% of US air travelers try to avoid morning flights because getting up early on the day of travel gives them additional stress. However, year-to-date flight status data reveals flights that depart after 3 p.m. have a 50% higher chance, on average, of being cancelled than those that depart earlier in the day. 

MONEY-SAVING TOOLS 

• Price Drop Protection: This year’s data shows that the prices of international flights sometimes drop a few days before departure, but waiting until the last minute can be risky and often means limited selection and availability.  
  Price Drop Protection lets travelers get an automatic refund if the price of their flight becomes cheaper on Expedia after they book. Available for a nominal fee, or free for Gold tier One Key members, there are currently no annual limits on refunds.  

• Price Tracking: Take the guess work out of deciding when to book with Price Tracking on the Expedia app, which notifies travelers when flight prices change and uses exclusive data to help travelers decide when to book. 
   
• Bundling: With flights, car rentals, hotels and activities, Expedia offers a wide selection of customizable vacation packages in one place, allowing travelers to save hundreds of dollars on average when booking multiple items on Expedia. Whether booking items together in the same transaction or in steps, travelers also have their itinerary all in one place making it easier to keep track of their journey.  

2024 AIR TRAVEL TRENDS 

• Capacity has grown and average ticket prices are stabilizing: While both the number of scheduled short-haul and long-haul flights is nearly at 2019 level, average ticket prices have decreased by up to 3% compared to 2022. 
• Most popular destinations: New York City, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas range among the most popular domestic destinations for U.S. flyers. The most popular international destinations are Cancun (Mexico), Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), and Mexico City (Mexico).
• Trending destination: The fastest growing destination, according to Expedia flight demand data, is Beijing (China).