Cheapest Airline Fares Available Mid-Week, Experts Say

Airline ticket pricing may seem to have no rhyme or reason, but there is a pattern to the fluctuation in ticket rates. The Wall Street Journal spoke with various airfare consultants who say that the cheapest rates are available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

According to Bob Harrell, an airfare consultant who has been tracking prices for the last several years, airlines typically launch sales toward the beginning of the week, forcing competitors to match their lower prices. But by Thursday and Friday, those discounts have usually expired–and don’t even think about purchasing a ticket on the weekend.

The WSJ cites Rick Seaney, chief executive of FareCompare.com, who concluded that 3 p.m. EST on a Tuesday offers the best selection of low airfares. For example, last Sunday the cheapest round-trip fare for Miami-New York was $418, while on Tuesday the same ticket cost just $323.

Though your best bet may be to scope out fares at the beginning of the week, the WSJ points out that social networking sites such as Twitter are slowly changing the airfare pricing pattern. As airlines promote sales to their followers throughout the week, someday you may be able to snap a cheap seat at any time of the week.

VIA the Wall Street Journal