Whether you pay for your tickets with cash, points or miles, booking your flight at the right time can help you get the lowest price and the best availability. Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to the question of when is the best time to book a flight.
But, you can find award availability with some programs if you book right when award space becomes bookable. And, although rates may drop later, you can sometimes find decent paid rates shortly after the booking window opens.
This article provides data we’ve collected about when revenue flights and award flights become bookable through popular airline programs. It also includes other details you may need to know about booking a flight in advance.
How far in advance can you book an airline ticket?
Some U.S.-based airlines open their booking windows for revenue flights a particular number of days before departure. You usually won’t see the lowest fares for these airlines right when the booking window opens. However, other airlines periodically extend travel dates for which they’ll accept reservations. You can often snag the lowest fare for these airlines by booking your trip shortly after the booking window opens.
Related: Best airline credit cards
Below, you’ll find when the revenue booking window opens for all the major U.S.-based airlines. This window lets you know how far in advance you can book your flight. However, keep in mind that seasonal routes may not be loaded when the booking window opens.
| Airline | Revenue booking window opens |
|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | 331 days before departure |
| Allegiant Air | Varies, but typically six to nine months in advance |
| American Airlines | 331 days before departure |
| Delta Air Lines | 331 days before departure |
| Frontier Airlines | Varies, but typically five to nine months in advance |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 330 days before departure |
| JetBlue Airways | 331 days before departure |
| Southwest Airlines | Varies, but typically eight to 10 months in advance |
| Spirit Airlines | Varies, but typically around six months in advance |
| Sun Country Airlines | Varies, but typically up to nine months in advance |
| United Airlines | 337 days before departure |
Bookings may open at midnight in the airline’s corporate time zone, but this is by no means a hard rule. There is also often a lag between when an airline loads its schedule and when flights become bookable.
For airlines that periodically extend the date through which you can book flights, you may want to subscribe to the airline’s email newsletter in hopes that it sends an announcement when it extends the flight schedule. We also usually cover Southwest Airlines’ schedule extensions.
Of course, if the airline you’re interested in isn’t listed above, you can search the airline’s website to determine how far out you can currently book.
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Related: 6 key tools and tips to find the cheapest airfare
When can I book award tickets in advance?
Knowing when the booking window opens can be critical if you’re looking to snag award tickets, especially if you want to travel in a premium cabin. Although there’s no guarantee that an airline will release award seats when the booking window opens, some may release a few seats. You’ll have the best chance of snagging these seats if you act quickly once the booking window opens.
For U.S. carriers, the award booking window opens at the same time as revenue ticket bookings. We’ve also included a few popular international airlines in the chart below. However, the numbers in the chart may be plus or minus a day due to time zone differences. So, you may want to start searching for your award a few days early.
| Airline | Award booking window opens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 360 days | |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 355 days | May allow bookings for partners that release award space farther out (for example, TAP Air Portugal at 360 days) |
| British Airways Club | 354 days | |
| Etihad Guest | 361 days | |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 355 days | |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 331 days |
Note that you usually can’t book award flights until the airline you are booking with (using its miles or points) and the airline you are flying on open award bookings for your travel date.
If your favorite airline isn’t in the table above — or you want to see for yourself how far out you can book an award ticket on a particular airline — check when both the airline you’re flying with and the airline you’re booking through usually start accepting award bookings. By doing so, you’ll determine when to start checking availability.
How far in advance should I book award travel?
The best time to book award travel is usually when the schedule opens or at the last minute. Airlines typically release a first batch of award space when the schedule opens (between 330 and 361 days before your flight) and another batch shortly before the flight.
However, many airlines also periodically release award availability, so it’s worth setting up award alerts with a tool like Expert Flyer (owned by TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures) or Seats.aero.
Related: These apps and websites make award redemptions easier to find
Can you book a flight more than a year in advance?
On most airlines, you can’t book a flight more than a year in advance. Refer to the chart above for each airline’s exact booking window data, but most are between six and 11 months before your departure date.
How far in advance should I book my flight if I pay cash?
Generally, domestic flights should be booked one to four months in advance, and international flights at least six months in advance. However, booking holiday travel as soon as possible is often best.
However, these are only guidelines. It’s best to track flight prices to determine a good price for your route. If you have a Capital One card, you might want to book through Capital One Travel, which offers advice on whether now is the right time to book and price match and price drop protection.
Related: Is it more expensive to book flights through a credit card travel portal?
Can I find last-minute flight deals?
You can certainly find many last-minute deals on cash and award bookings. Check out our guide on the best points and miles for last-minute flights.
Bottom line
It’s important to know when the booking window opens for airlines that increase fares as more seats are booked (as well as for premium-cabin seats, as awards for these seats are limited). If you have one of these bookings coming up, your best bet is to set a calendar reminder a day or two before you expect the booking window to open so you can start checking availability. Continue checking availability until you find a product and cost you are happy with. And remember to use one of the top travel cards to book your flight.
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