You may have heard that Tuesday or Wednesday is the best day to book a flight. While data suggests airlines availability is better early in the week, prices change throughout the day as seats sell and demand fluctuates. For flights leaving from South Africa, Tuesdays and Wednesdays can sometimes show better deals for international routes due to this but it's not guaranteed, so don’t hedge your bets on suddenly getting a heavily reduced fare based on the day of the week.
Tip: Rather than focusing only on the booking day, compare prices across several days and speak to a Flight Centre expert who can quickly check multiple fares for your preferred route and dates.
But there is some truth to the idea that there are better times of year to book. Or rather, how far in advance you should book your flight. As anyone who’s looked at peak time flights will know, you don’t want to leave bookings to the last minute for big holidays, especially if you’re travelling over December or Easter.
So, here are some rules of thumb:
For international flights from South Africa, booking about 4 - 6 months ahead generally gives you a good mix of availability and competitive pricing. For the best options, you can book as far as 9 months in advance.
For domestic flights, 1 to 2 months ahead can work well but peak periods like school holidays and long weekends fill fast so you’ll want to snag those further in advance. For regional destinations like Mauritius or Zanzibar, 2 to 5 months ahead can be enough outside of peak times.
Explore the Flight Centre flights page or check multi-stop flights with a travel expert instore if you’re combining itineraries. We can do it all for you!
