The Cheapest Days to Fly Internationally

Thinking about scooting off to South America? Or jumping to Jamaica for a jaunt on the sands? Perhaps you're dreaming about Europe, with its medieval old towns and hilltop castles? Or maybe Asia and that mouth-watering smorgasbord of dim sum and pad Thai and potent sub-continent curries?

Whatever worldly destination you may be pining after this year, you're sure to have come across oodles of advice on how to grab the cheapest flight into town, probably loaded to the brim with tips on the best departure days, booking times and the like. Unfortunately for would-be travelers, it can often be difficult to find the facts behind such findings, and it's hard to know exactly who to believe. That's why Hopper has put together this selection of tips that reveal the cheapest days to fly internationally, which uses data from more than 3,500 popular international flight connections to isolate the most important global market trends — enjoy!

Download the Hopper mobile app to find the best deals and you could save up to 40% on your next flight! Now on iOS and Android!

The Cheapest Day to Buy an International Flight is on a Thursday

While Thursday was by no means the day with the biggest average savings on tickets, our statistics showed that it was certainly the most likely day for would-be fliers to bag a bargain, with around 900 separate routes offering reductions to the tune of $25 at that time. Unfortunately, on the days with the cheapest average international fares (Saturday and Sunday), only around 400 routes were offering savings, which means travellers were more than 50% less likely to come away happy when booking on the weekend than on a Thursday.

The Cheapest Day to Fly Internationally is on a Wednesday

Departing for your far-flung international destinations on a Wednesday could mean bagging a budget-bolstering saving of around $60 when compared to the most expensive day of the week, with just shy of 2,500 individual flight routes offering up bargain prices at that time. We discovered that Sunday departures are best avoided, with just a handful of flights boasting reductions then, while Fridays and Saturdays are also not the most wallet-friendly choices. But who wants to travel on a busy weekend anyway?

The Cheapest Day to Return Internationally is on a Wednesday

It seems that fliers making the most of midweek-to-midweek changeovers are in for some seriously good deals this year, with our statistics showing that Wednesday returns are set to complement those cheap Wednesday departures with a further possible reduction in flight prices to the tune of $60! In fact, midweek trips home were a clear winner in the field, with a vast majority of the international routes we looked at throwing up their biggest savings at that time.

Use Hopper's When to Fly and Buy Reports to See Information for Your Specific Route

While looking at averages across the market is great for getting an idea of the global trends governing international flight prices, it's also worth bearing in mind that data on individual routes can vary wildly. Consequently, any travelers with a specific destination in mind should be sure to head over to Hopper's When to Fly and Buy Reports, which offer up-to-date information on the best departure days, booking times and return dates for individual flight connections the planet over.

Check out Hopper's Deals Page to see Flash Sales from Your Airport

Granted a $60 saving on ticket prices for simply departing or returning on a Wednesday is an extremely attractive prospect for many fliers, but surely nothing can beat a whopping 75% reduction on flights? For those mega bargains, be sure to keep an eye on Hopper's all-new deals page — a live feed of all the latest flash sales offering deals from your local airport. Just imagine it: The Caribbean for a quarter of the price!

Download Hopper's mobile app, now available on iOS and Android, to save up to 40% on your flights!

Buying a flight is the worst part of travel. How do you know you're getting the best possible deal? How do you know airfares won't suddenly fall (or skyrocket)? That's where Hopper's app can help you out. Download the app and set up a fare alert on your preferred route. We'll watch your flight and let you know when prices drop. The app also offers tips on the best time to go, the cheapest travel dates, and the cheapest airports. Pretty nice, right? Download it on iOS and Android now!