How to Save Money on Flights: Before and After You Book

You can forget the old advice about buying your ticket on a Tuesday at midnight. Expedia’s 2026 data and Junova’s Summer 2026 data report put the gap between the cheapest and most expensive day to buy at 2 or 3 percent.

The flight you choose matters more than the day you buy it.

• The day you leave. Buying on a Tuesday might not matter, but flying on a Tuesday does. Domestic flights on Tuesdays averaged about 14% less than Sunday flights. If your trip can afford some flexibility, look at Tuesdays.
• How far ahead you book. Earlier is better. Once your plans are firm, book. The longer you hold a ticket, the more chances its price has to drop, and in our summer data about 60% of first drops showed up a month or more before departure.
• The month. January was the cheapest month to fly within the U.S., about 19% below December.
• The airport. Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, and Orlando averaged about 25% below the national average. San Francisco, Washington Dulles, and JFK ran about 25% above it. I typically fly out of SFO, but I always price the other Bay Area airports before I book.

After that, the basics: use Google Flights’ flexible-dates view to find your flight, and book directly with the airline. Booking direct matters later, because changes and the 24-hour rule are both simpler when the airline holds your ticket.

Sources: Expedia’s 2026 data and Junova’s Summer 2026 data report.

Airlines reprice seats all day long, and nothing stops the price of yours from falling after you’ve paid. When it does, the airline won’t tell you, and it definitely won’t send you the difference.

It happens a lot. Of 5,000 bookings we tracked that departed between June 1 and August 31, 2026, 26.2% had at least one price drop we could claim. About 4 in 10 of those dropped more than once, and nine dropped in the last 24 hours before takeoff, which surprised even us (full report).

What you can do about it depends on timing.

If the price drops within 24 hours

Ask the airline for the difference back. Within 24 hours of booking, you get it back as cash to your card, even on a nonrefundable ticket, as long as you booked directly with the airline. It’s the only time that’s true for a nonrefundable fare, so it’s worth checking the price again the next day.

If it drops after that

You’ll usually get the difference as an airline credit, not cash (unless you booked a refundable fare). Most big U.S. airlines dropped change fees on standard economy a few years ago, so repricing a ticket is free. The airline just won’t do it on its own.

Call or chat with the airline and ask them to reprice your ticket on the same flight. Wording matters here. If you say you want to “change your flight,” you may end up shopping for a new itinerary instead. Our Delta and United guides walk through the calls step by step.

Policies as of October 2026. They change often, so check the airline’s site first.

Basic economy looks cheaper, and sometimes it is. But once the 24-hour window closes, you usually can’t touch the ticket. On United, Delta, American, and Southwest it can’t be changed at all, which means a later price drop does you no good.

A standard fare that costs a bit more can come out ahead if the price drops even once. Add in bags and seat selection, and the gap often shrinks further. Then add the miles you earn on standard but not on basic, earlier boarding, and so on. Price the whole trip before you decide.

A few other things worth doing: use an airline credit card if it includes a free checked bag, check whether your card offers any price protection, and spend airline credits before they expire. On Delta and United, that’s 12 months from when you bought the original ticket, not from when the credit showed up.

Can I get money back if my flight price drops after I book?

Usually, yes, if you’re on standard economy or higher with a major U.S. airline. Within 24 hours of booking, you can cancel for a full refund and rebook. After that, the difference typically comes back as an airline credit. Basic economy fares generally don’t qualify.

How often do flight prices drop after booking?

More than you’d think. Across a different study we did of 10,000 flights we monitored through July 2026, 22.4% dropped at least once, and the average saving on those flights was about $155 (report).

Do flight prices go down close to departure?

Sometimes. Don’t assume prices only go up. Of the summer bookings that dropped, 11.8% saw a lower fare in the final week. Still, about 60% of first drops came a month or more before departure, so book in the normal window and keep watching.

What’s the cheapest day to book a flight?

It barely matters, maybe 2 to 3 percent. The day you fly matters more: Tuesday was about 14% cheaper than Sunday for domestic flights.

Do airlines price match?

No. None of the big U.S. airlines will match a lower fare from another site, and none will lower your price automatically. You have to ask, or use a service like Junova to ask for you.

Is Junova free?

Signing up and monitoring is free. We take 20% of what we save you, and only when we save you something.

Which airlines does Junova work with?

United, Delta, American, and Southwest. Basic economy fares generally aren’t eligible.