Unpopular opinion: booking flights 6 months out is a trap for budget travelers

I saw a post last week from a guy saying he always books international flights 6 months ahead for the best deals. But I just locked in a trip to Bangkok for $380 round trip by booking 3 weeks before departure. The airline was trying to fill seats and I jumped on it. I get that planning ahead works for some, but don't you think last minute deals can beat early bird prices more often than people admit?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_king221mo ago

Yeah I heard some travel blogger say airlines actually hike prices around that 6 month mark on purpose.

wade7671mo ago

I used to think the whole "book early" thing was just fear mongering from the airlines themselves. Like, they want you to think you're getting a deal at 6 months out so you commit early. But then I actually started tracking prices on a few routes I fly regularly, like Denver to Chicago and Nashville to Atlanta. The numbers don't lie - I saw a round trip jump from $220 to $340 overnight right around that 5-6 month mark. It was honestly kind of eye opening. Now I pretty much book domestic trips as soon as I know the dates, no matter how far out it is.