$44 Cheap Flights from Dallas to Sacramento in 2024 | momondo (2024)

FAQs

How many days in advance are flights cheapest? ›

The best time to book airfare is within a window of 21 to 74 days before you plan to fly, and the cheapest tickets are generally on mid-week flights. You can also save if you use an airline miles credit card to book flights that help you earn miles or points toward future air travel.

Tuesday and Friday flights can help you avoid the rush earlier in the week. Sundays and Mondays are the most expensive days to depart for domestic trips. If you can't fly on the cheapest days, flying on Tuesdays or Fridays might also be a good option.

While booking your flight on a Sunday helps you get the lowest price, actually flying on a Thursday may help you save an average of 16 percent off airfare. Data shows that, almost across the board, travelers who flew on Thursdays instead of Sunday saved this much on both domestic and international flights.

Airlines often adjust their pricing based on how far in advance it is from the flight in question. Generally, booking a roundtrip ticket a few months ahead of time can secure a better deal than waiting until the last minute.

Some experts predict airfares to international destinations will drop even lower in 2024. According to the American Express Global Business Travel Air Monitor 2024 report, prices on certain international routes may drop as much as 12%.

When are flights cheapest during the week? Midweek. Flights that take off and land on weekends, or Mondays and Fridays generally cost more. So aim for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

If you're looking for a bargain month to travel, January is best. Flights in February are a close second for being most affordable. At the other end of the spectrum, November and July are the first and second most expensive months to travel, on average.

What day is Southwest cheapest? ›

Unlike some airlines that rarely offer sales on fares, Southwest regularly puts flights on sale. Pretty much every Tuesday, in fact. The sales typically apply to cash bookings as well as redeeming Southwest points.

Industry data reveals the sweet spot for booking domestic flights is 28 days, or 60 days for international flights. That said, the trends are always changing, and experts recommend booking earlier for peak travel periods like summer and the holiday season.

The Expedia study found that the sweet spot is 28 to 35 days before departure while the Google study found prices bottomed out 44 days before departure. However, both studies agree that you don't want to wait until the last minute. Book at least 21 days before departure.

Follow the 21-day rule for last-minute travel

Keyes suggests booking your ticket at least 21 days before departure (if possible), since airlines have policies that will substantially raise the price of airfare for trips taking place after that deadline.

Is it cheaper to book a flight at the last minute? We've said this before, but it's worth repeating at the outset—no, it's really not cheaper to book a flight at the last minute. Yes, last minute travelers used to score the occasional fare so low it might have induced shock, but that's no longer the case.

To avoid a potential price increase, it's best to book your flight far ahead of time instead of waiting till it's closer to your trip. Google says that if you're booking a domestic flight, the prices are generally at their lowest between 21 and 60 days before your trip.

Which day of the week delivers the lowest price for airline tickets? Per this latest study, the early-workweek bird snags the cheapest fare. Suzanne Rowan Kelleher writes about travel trends and news.