Experts Weigh in on the Cheapest Times to Buy Flights in 2024

We’ve heard (and reported) that January is the best time to buy flights in 2024, and that prices won’t be getting much cheaper throughout the rest of the year. But that puts a lot of pressure on purchasing flights right away after the holiday season. For those of us with big families, credit card debt, or a thin paycheck (and often a combination of all three), there’s often not a lot of money left over to book that vacation in January, even if the flights are cheap. It’s like a discounted Birkin bag, I still can’t afford it even when it’s on sale.

But worry not, there will be more cheap flights in 2024, according to the experts over at Going (formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights). According to the company’s internal data from 2023, plenty of other months outside of January offered great flight deals to snag and that trend is expected to continue this year. In other words, even if prices do trend higher, as some other travel companies predict will happen in 2024, there should be cheap flights for the taking.

It’s important to note as well that even if prices rise throughout the year, it is only forecast to do so by a small percentage, according to Going. It’s not anticipated that 2024 will see major price fluctuations throughout the year. “Cheap flights have had a great start to 2024 but there’s no way to say what great deals will pop up over the next 6 months,” Scott Keyes, Going’s cheap expert, said.

Instead of fixating on January as the only time to buy flights, especially if it’s not in your budget right now, you can instead try to follow some of the other golden flight booking rules. This includes booking for shoulder seasons, taking advantage of the Goldilocks Window, and being strategic on which days you choose to book your travel.

You can also use a service like Going to help you snag ultra cheap flights—or keep your eye on coverage from Thrillist, where we are always sharing the best travel deals you can find right now, as well as the best travel hacks and tips from experts across the travel industry.

So, instead of panicking about buying a flight you can’t afford right now, consider making a travel sinking fund for a trip later this year.