Expedia 2026 Air Hacks: Friday Takes Off as the New Cheapest Day to Depart and Book

Expedia® released its 2026 Air Hacks Report, revealing a major shift in traveler savings: Friday, has become the cheapest day of the week to fly and book, driven by reduced business travel at the end of the week.

Major Shifts in Travel Savings
- Friday is now the cheapest day to both book and fly.
- Booking on Friday saves ~3% compared to Sunday.
- Flying on Friday instead of Sunday saves up to 8%.
- August is the most affordable month to travel internationally (29% cheaper than December, ~$120 savings per ticket).
- January is the cheapest month for domestic flights, thanks to post-holiday demand drops.

Best Booking Windows
- Domestic flights: 15–30 days before departure saves ~$130 compared to booking 6+ months out.
- International flights: 8–15 days before departure saves ~$225; 31–45 days ahead still saves ~$190 compared to booking 6+ months out.

Travel Trends
- Micro-cations: 25% of Millennials and Gen Z plan 24-hour trips, with Toronto, Nassau, San Juan, and Montreal as top daytrip destinations.
- Carry-on only travel: 48% of flyers now skip checked bags; 37% wear extra layers to dodge baggage fees.
- Odd in-flight habits: smelly food (28%), nail-cutting (21%), couples in the lavatory (19%), and content creators filming dances/vlogs.

Airport & Route Insights
- Cheapest departure airports: Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Orlando (25% below national average).
- Most expensive airports: Washington Dulles, San Francisco, JFK (25% above average).
- Saver routes:
- US under $160: Orlando–Fort Lauderdale ($107), Las Vegas–San Diego ($125).
- International under $275: Fort Lauderdale–Nassau ($242), Houston–Comayagua ($229).
- Biggest YoY price drops: Houston–Morelia (-42%), Dallas–Morelia (-41%), Houston–Tokyo (-31%).

Crowd & Timing Hacks
- Least busy day to fly: Tuesday.
- Busiest day: Friday.
- Least busy month: February.
- Busiest month: July.

This report shows how changing business travel patterns (fewer late-week trips) are opening up savings opportunities for leisure travelers. It also highlights how Gen Z and Millennials are reshaping habits with short “micro-cations” and creative ways to avoid fees.