Best Time to Book a Flight, and What If It’s Canceled?

Three of the most-asked travel questions are about buying flights: the best time to book a flight, the best day to buy airline tickets, and what to do when the airline cancels. Here are straight answers, with your rights under U.S. rules.

On this page:

When is the best time to book a flight?

Short answer: There is no magic date, but booking early for holidays and peak summer, watching prices with fare alerts and staying flexible on dates beats any single rule.

Airfares move with demand, so the best time to book a flight depends on where and when you are going. For busy periods — school holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break and summer in Europe — book as soon as your dates are firm, because the cheaper seats on popular flights sell first and rarely come back. For ordinary off-peak domestic trips there is usually less urgency, and prices can drift up or down for weeks.

Instead of guessing, let the tools do the watching. Set a fare alert for your route as soon as you start thinking about a trip, look at a whole month’s calendar of fares rather than one date, and check nearby airports. Being able to shift your trip by a day or two often saves more than timing the purchase perfectly.

Know the safety net, too. U.S. Department of Transportation rules require airlines selling tickets in the United States either to let you hold a reservation without paying for 24 hours, or to let you cancel within 24 hours without penalty, when you book at least seven days before departure. That gives you a day to keep shopping after you buy.

Finally, compare what is included, not just the headline fare. Basic economy can cost more in the end once you add a seat assignment or a bag, and it is usually the hardest to change. Our sister site Airfares for Less lets you search flights by region and class of travel.

What should I do if my flight is canceled?

Short answer: Rebook fast (app, phone and agent at once). If you would rather not travel, U.S. rules entitle you to a refund to your original payment.

Act quickly, because seats on the next flights go to whoever asks first. Open the airline’s app, call the reservations line and stand in the service line at the same time; whichever answers first can rebook you. Ask about flights on partner airlines and from nearby airports, not just the next departure of the same flight.

You also have a right to your money back. Under the Department of Transportation’s automatic refund rule, which took effect in October 2024, if an airline cancels or significantly changes your flight and you decline the alternative it offers, it must refund you in the original form of payment — not a voucher. A significant change includes departing or arriving three hours or more off schedule on a domestic trip (six hours internationally), a different airport, extra connections or a lower class of service. Refunds are due within seven business days for card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payments.

Cash compensation is a different matter. U.S. law does not require airlines to pay compensation for a cancellation or delay, though many carriers publish their own commitments to cover meals or hotel stays when the problem was within their control. Flights departing the European Union, or arriving there on an EU airline, fall under EU passenger rights, which can include fixed compensation.

Read the details in the Department of Transportation refund rules, keep every receipt, and check whether your travel insurance or credit card includes trip-delay cover.