The Best Time to Buy an International Flight

The best time to buy international airfare is not a “one size fits all” approach. Instead, international flights are affected by many different variables, with data showing some destinations benefit more from long-term planning while others don’t need as much booking lead time.

This year, the best time to buy an international plane ticket is between one month to six months before departure for Europe, one month to five months before departure for the Caribbean, and ten months before departure for Asia. Of course, this isn't true for every destination—we've highlighted the best time to buy an international flight by world region below.

A top tip to keep in mind is to beware of seasonality when booking international flights. Unlike domestic flights, international flights often have a massive disparity between the price during the low tourist season and the high tourist season, with high season flights possibly going for double the price.

Also, those who decide to travel with friends and family may want to book especially early if everyone wants to sit together. You might pay a bit more, but you’re more likely to have this luxury if you get the booking in early. For those flying solo and have some itinerary flexibility, they might be more willing to gamble on nabbing a last-minute sale.

The Best Time to Buy a Ticket to Central or South America

• Best time to buy tickets: One and a half to four and a half months before departure
• Best day to buy tickets: 79 days before departure
• Average airfare: $522 for Central America, $707 for South America
• Cheapest months to travel: September and October for both, and May for South America
• Most expensive months to travel: July and December

The Best Time to Buy a Ticket to Canada or Mexico

• Best time to buy tickets: One month to three and a half months before departure
• Best day to buy tickets: 205 days before departure for Canada, 70 days before departure for Mexico
• Average airfare: $363 for Canada, $459 for Mexico
• Cheapest months to travel: January and February for both, March for Mexico
• Most expensive months to travel: August and December

The Best Time to Buy a Ticket to Europe

• Best time to buy tickets: One and a half to four and a half months before departure
• Best day to buy tickets: 79 days before departure
• Average airfare: $992
• Cheapest months to travel: October and November
• Most expensive months to travel: May and June

The Best Time to Buy a Ticket to Asia

• Best time to buy tickets: Ten months before departure
• Best day to buy tickets: 314 days before departure
• Average airfare: $1,514
• Cheapest months to travel: January and April
• Most expensive months to travel: December and August

The Best Time to Buy a Ticket to the Caribbean

• Best time to buy tickets: One and a half to five months before departure
• Best day to buy tickets: 75 days before departure
• Average airfare: $513
• Cheapest months to travel: September and October
• Most expensive months to travel: July and December

The Best Time to Buy a Ticket to the Middle East or Africa

• Best time to buy tickets: Two months to ten months before departure
• Best day to buy tickets: 94 days before departure
• Average airfare: $1,002
• Cheapest months to travel: October and November
• Most expensive months to travel: December and July

The Best Time to Buy a Ticket to Australia or the South Pacific

• Best time to buy tickets: Nine and a half to ten months before departure
• Best day to buy tickets: 309 days before departure
• Average airfare: $2,898
• Cheapest months to travel: January and April
• Most expensive months to travel: October and November