The Best Time to Buy International Flights for Cheap in 2024

Are you planning a big international trip before the year ends but are still fretting about how you'll afford the costs? Me too, pal. Especially as the months get colder and the days get shorter—there's an urgency to book an unforgettable 2024 trip before the year is in our rearview mirror.

Fortunately, CheapAir.com has done the hard work of analyzing 917 million airfares around the world to help determine which times of year are the cheapest to travel. As we know, traveling internationally during the holidays can be a way to find more affordable flights when most people are taking domestic trips. But even if there are fewer travelers, the demand for international tickets will still mean that getting your hands on cheap airfare will take some strategizing.

CheapAir's 2024 International Airfare Study determined several things, including the best time to purchase your tickets. For the most part, that advice is nothing new: for many destinations, you should plan to buy as early as possible. The longer you wait, the more expensive flights will be.

"This year, the best time to buy a cheap international flight to most regions is a mixed bag," the CheapAir report stated. "Some destinations could benefit from shopping early, while others give the best value a lot closer to your travel dates."

Generally, booking in advance will help you get the best prices on international flights. Flights to Asia, in particular, require booking at least 71 days in advance to save money. Flights to Europe require at least 320 days advanced booking to find the cheapest flights. Flights to South and Central America have the best prices 50 days in advance, and the best prices to Mexico can be found about 67 days in advance. For exact time frames for every region, you can reference the chart below:

"The key to getting the cheapest international flights is to plan ahead and book during the 'prime booking window' to ensure you don’t overpay on airfare," the CheapAir report states. "Booking international flights too early in advance or waiting last-minute can cost you a lot more."

There are also ideal days to travel, in addition to how far you book out your trip. Depending on the location those days will vary—for destinations in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America, the most expensive day is Sunday. For South America and Europe, the most expensive day is Saturday. You can check out the rest of the data for 2024 international flights below:

Check out the complete guide, which includes suggestions for booking based on destination, on CheapAir.com. For instance, CheapAir.com's study found that the "cheapest flights to Europe are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, saving $145 per airline ticket on average compared to flying on Saturday." That extra $145 could help you afford an additional night at a hotel or a nice dinner on your trip.

For the 2024 holiday season, Hopper also provided some additional data to help you find the cheapest travel dates during the cold weather months. "You can save nearly $200 off per ticket, just by being flexible with your travel dates for the holidays," Hopper's holiday report revealed. "The cheapest days to travel? On the holiday themselves. Think Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve."

Another Hopper tip for international holiday travel savings? "Oftentimes hotels in big cities see a slow down in reservations at the holidays, leading them to drop prices at the last minute for interested travelers," Hopper's report states. Here are some of the international cities that have historically had lower prices during the Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks. 
Thanksgiving
1. Cartagena, Colombia
2. Cancun, Mexico
3. Medellin, Colombia
4. San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico

Christmas
1. Dubai
2. Madrid, Spain
3. London, England
4, Barcelona, Spain

So, there are plenty of ways to chase some savings this winter and to take an international trip before the year ends. And even if you can't fit a trip in for 2024, it's literally never too early to start planning for 2025. 

Here's our running list of all the cheap travel deals you can book right now, and you can head here for all the latest flight deals plus cheap things to do and savings on hotels, cruises, trains, and more to help you plan for your next trip.

Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.