Question about how I used to book flights vs how I do it now

I used to book every trip about 3 months out because some blog said that was the sweet spot, and I stuck with that for years. Then last fall I was messing around on a Tuesday night and found a round trip from Chicago to Austin for $87 that I'd been quoted $240 for a week earlier. Now I book almost everything 4 to 6 weeks out and just check prices a couple times a week instead of locking in early. I also started flying out on Wednesdays instead of Fridays, which alone has cut maybe $50 to $80 off each trip. Has anyone else noticed shorter booking windows working better lately, or did I just get lucky that one time?

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blake79226d ago

Tracked prices on a few routes over the past couple months and the 4 to 6 week window does seem to hit better than the old 3 month advice. My best find was a Denver round trip for $112 when it was sitting at $290 two weeks before. One thing I'm curious about though, when you check prices a couple times a week, are you using incognito mode or a fresh browser each time? I've heard the cookie thing is a myth but I swear prices go up when I keep checking the same route. Also wondering if the Wednesday flight savings are coming from the day itself or just from avoiding the Friday and Sunday rush. Have you tried Tuesday departures too or is Wednesday your sweet spot?

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