When Is the Best Time to Book Flights From Australia? (2026 Guide)
- rowofthree
- Jun 26
- 10 min read
Updated: Jun 27
Should you book flights six months in advance? Is Tuesday really the cheapest day to buy airfare? And are there certain months that consistently offer better deals?
If you've ever found yourself refreshing Google Flights and wondering whether prices will go up or down, you're not alone.
Using Expedia's 2026 Air Hacks report, Google Flights data and our own experience planning family holidays from Australia, we've combined the latest research with real-world planning tips for Australian travellers.
We'll cover the best day to book flights, the cheapest days to fly, how far in advance to book international trips, and the best time to book flights to the USA, Fiji, Japan, Europe, New Zealand and Singapore.
Quick Answer
If you just want the highlights:
✅ Thursday is the best day to book flights.
✅ Friday is the cheapest day to fly.
✅ February is the cheapest month for international travel.
✅ Tuesday is the least busy day to travel.
✅ International travellers can often save around A$140 by booking 31–45 days before departure.
That booking window works particularly well for shorter international trips, but keep reading for the long-haul exceptions.
Planning a trip? I've also created a free Flight Booking Checklist with all the things we check before booking every family holiday—from comparing prices and travel dates to checking baggage, visas, travel insurance and choosing the best seats.
Table of Contents
The 2026 Flight Cheat Sheet
Question | Quick Answer |
|---|---|
Best day to book | Thursday |
Cheapest day to fly | Friday |
Most expensive day to fly | Sunday |
Cheapest month to fly | February |
Least busy day to travel | Tuesday |
Busiest month to travel | December |
Best booking window | 31–45 days |
Average saving | Around A$140 |
Is There Really a Best Day to Book Flights?
One of the biggest travel myths is that Tuesday is always the cheapest day to buy flights.
According to Expedia's 2026 data, Thursday is actually the best day to book, with travellers saving around 7% compared with booking on Saturdays.
Of course, no single day guarantees the cheapest fare, but if you're flexible, Thursday appears to offer the best value.
Cheapest Days of the Week to Fly
Your departure day can make a surprising difference.
Cheapest day to fly: Friday
Most expensive day to fly: Sunday
According to Expedia, Friday departures are around 12% cheaper than Sunday flights.
What Is the Cheapest Month to Fly?
If your travel dates are flexible, February is the most budget-friendly month for international travel. Compared with December, travellers can save around A$520 on average.
Not surprisingly, December remains the busiest and most expensive time to travel.
Our Experience
But the reality of family holidays is that February isn't always the best time to travel.
In general, we try to avoid peak seasons rather than simply chase the absolute cheapest month.
We prefer visiting Europe in spring and autumn to avoid the summer crowds, and we've based our upcoming USA holiday in November to avoid the hottest months in Florida while still having a good chance of swimming.
I've learned that the best-value time to travel isn't always the cheapest. Sometimes it's about finding the sweet spot between weather, crowds and price.
I'd happily pay a little more for Europe in spring or autumn if it means avoiding the heat and queues.
How Far in Advance Should Australians Book International Flights?
One of the more surprising findings from Expedia's 2026 report is that booking extremely early doesn't always lead to the lowest prices.
International travellers saved around A$140 on average by booking 31–45 days before departure instead of six months ahead.
However, where you're going matters.
While waiting until the last month can work well for shorter international routes, long-haul destinations often require a completely different strategy.
Best Time to Book Flights From Australia by Destination
These destination-specific booking windows combine Expedia's global pricing trends with typical airline release patterns, seasonal demand and our own experience booking flights from Australia.
Recommended Booking Windows at a Glance
Destination | Typical Booking Window | Peak Season |
|---|---|---|
USA | 4–8 months | 6–9 months |
Fiji | 2–5 months | 4–6 months |
New Zealand | 2–4 months | 4–6 months |
Japan | 4–7 months | 6–9 months |
Europe | 6–10 months | 8–12 months |
Singapore | 2–5 months | 4–6 months |
Flights to the USA
Typical booking window: 4–8 months ahead
Peak season: 6–9 months ahead
The USA is one destination where I'd recommend watching for sales rather than rushing to book. With airlines like Qantas, United, American Airlines, Delta, Air New Zealand and Fiji Airways all competing on routes from Australia, there are regular sales throughout the year.
If you're travelling during Australian school holidays, Thanksgiving or Christmas, I'd still start monitoring prices early. That way you'll recognise a genuinely good deal when it appears and can book with confidence.
Flights to Fiji
Typical booking window: 2–5 months ahead
Peak season: 4–6 months ahead
Because Fiji is served by multiple airlines from Australia, sales are fairly common. We've found that booking around three to four months before departure often provides a great balance between price and flight choice.
Important: This advice applies to flights only. If you're staying on one of Fiji's popular outer islands, such as Plantation Island, Malolo Island or Castaway Island, it's often worth booking your accommodation 9–12 months in advance, particularly for Australian school holidays. Accommodation can sell out well before flights do, so don't wait for airfare sales before securing your resort if you have your heart set on a specific island.
Flights to New Zealand
Typical booking window: 2–4 months ahead
Peak season: 4–6 months ahead
Trans-Tasman routes are competitive, and sales happen regularly throughout the year. Unless you're travelling during school holidays or a major event, there's usually no need to rush into booking.
Flights to Japan
Typical booking window: 4–7 months ahead
Peak season: 6–9 months ahead
Japan is one destination where I'd be comfortable booking earlier, especially if you're planning to visit during cherry blossom season, ski season or Golden Week. Flights and accommodation can both become expensive as demand increases.
Flights to Europe
Typical booking window: 6–10 months ahead
Peak season: 8–12 months ahead
Europe is one destination where booking early usually pays off. If you're travelling during the European summer, Christmas markets or Australian school holidays, you'll generally have more choice and better prices by planning well in advance.
Flights to Singapore
Typical booking window: 2–5 months ahead
Peak season: 4–6 months ahead
We've found Singapore to be one of the easier destinations to find competitive airfares from Australia. With airlines like Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Jetstar all competing on the route, sales are common if you're prepared to keep an eye on prices.
Booking With Points? Start Even Earlier
If you're planning to use reward points, my advice is simple: start searching as soon as airlines release their schedules.
Unlike cash fares, reward seats are limited. Once they're gone, they may not come back—or they may only reappear at a much higher points cost.
Qantas Classic Reward seats can be booked up to around 353 days in advance.
Virgin Australia Velocity reward seats generally become available around 330 days before departure.
If you're hoping to travel during Australian school holidays or want Premium Economy or Business Class, those seats can disappear very quickly.
My Strategy
Most of our family holidays are booked using reward points, so I keep a close eye on when airlines release their schedules. If I know where we want to go, I set a reminder in my calendar and make sure I have enough points ready before reward seats become available.
For our upcoming USA holiday, I booked as soon as suitable reward seats were released. Having flexibility with departure dates also helped us maximise the value of our points.
Don't Forget Partner Airlines
Some of the best reward seat availability isn't on the airline whose points you're using.
For example:
Velocity Points can be redeemed on partner airlines such as Singapore Airlines and United Airlines.
Qantas Frequent Flyer members can also redeem points across the oneworld network, opening up many more destinations.
One of our best reward bookings was using Velocity Points to fly Business Class to Europe with Singapore Airlines. If I'd only searched Virgin Australia flights, I never would have found that option.
That experience completely changed the way I use airline loyalty programs. Now, whenever I'm planning a trip, I always check partner airlines before redeeming my points.
Checking partner airlines can often mean better reward seat availability, more convenient flight times and even better value for your points.
Price Isn't the Only Reason I Book Early
As a family of three, I also love having the best choice of seats.
For our upcoming trip to the USA, I deliberately booked flights departing on a Wednesday. Price was part of the decision, but I was also hoping the flight—and airports like Dallas and Orlando—would be a little less hectic when we arrived after a long journey.
Before booking, I checked the seat map and chose a row where the window seat doesn't have another seat directly in front of it. Little details like that can make a big difference on a long-haul flight.
My husband Rory is tall, so legroom is always important. Because Henry is still too young to sit in an exit row, we have to think a little more creatively about where we sit. Booking early gives us the best chance of finding seats that work for our family, rather than simply taking whatever is left.
For us, the best flight isn't always the cheapest. Sometimes it's arriving on a quieter day, avoiding busy airports, minimising stopovers and starting our holiday feeling relaxed instead of exhausted.
And honestly, I genuinely enjoy the planning. I'm usually dreaming about our next holiday long before the current one is over.
Airline Sales We Watch Every Year
When we're paying cash for flights, I rarely book on a whim. I like having plenty of time to monitor prices, compare airlines and be ready when a sale appears.
Our Fiji flights, for example, were booked during one of Virgin Australia's January sales. Because I'm a Velocity Frequent Flyer member and receive promotional emails, I knew about the sale as soon as it launched and locked in a great price.
These are the airline sales we keep an eye on every year:
Airline | Sales to Watch | Why We Watch It |
Virgin Australia | January Sale, Happy Hour, Black Friday | Great fares to Fiji, Queensland and domestic routes. |
Qantas | Red Tail Sale, Double Status Credit promotions, Black Friday | Good value on domestic and international fares, plus opportunities to earn extra status credits. |
Jetstar | Often the cheapest option for domestic travel and selected international routes. | |
Fiji Airways | South Pacific Sales, Companion promotions | Worth watching for Fiji holidays and South Pacific travel. |
Our tip: Airline sale dates change each year, but joining loyalty programs and subscribing to promotional emails means you'll usually hear about them as soon as they're released.
How We Find Cheap Flights
Google Flights
Google Flights is always where we start.
We use it to:
Compare airlines
View price trends
Use the date grid
Set price alerts
Compare nearby airports
Our tip: Look at the Price History section to see whether the fare is low, typical or high.
Skyscanner
Once we've narrowed down our dates, we jump over to Skyscanner.
We love it because it searches multiple airlines and booking sites, makes flexible destination searches easy and allows us to compare prices quickly.
Our tip: If you're flexible on destination, use the "Explore Everywhere" feature.
Free Download: Our Flight Booking Checklist
Planning a trip? Download our free Flight Booking Checklist to make sure you don't miss anything before clicking "Book".
It includes reminders to:
✅ Compare prices across multiple websites
✅ Check reward seat availability
✅ Sign up for airline sale alerts
✅ Compare baggage inclusions
✅ Check passport validity
✅ Review travel insurance
✅ Choose the best seats for your family
✅ Set Google Flights price alerts
✅ Double-check visa requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tuesday really the cheapest day to book flights?
No. Expedia's 2026 data suggests Thursday offers better value.
What is the cheapest day to fly?
Friday is generally the cheapest day to fly, while Sunday is often the most expensive.
What is the cheapest month to fly overseas?
February is typically the cheapest month for international travel, while December is one of the most expensive.
Should I use Google Flights or Skyscanner?
We use both.
Google Flights is fantastic for researching dates and tracking prices, while Skyscanner is useful for comparing booking options and searching flexible destinations.
Is it better to book early or wait?
It depends on the destination, but personally I'd rather start watching prices early than panic book later.
Every trip is different, but these are the same strategies we use when booking our own family holidays, whether we're redeeming reward points or paying cash.
Final Thoughts
There is no magic day that guarantees the cheapest flights, but understanding trends can help you book with confidence.
After years of planning family trips, I've learned that the cheapest flight isn't always the best flight.
Sometimes paying a little more for better departure times, fewer stopovers or seats that work better for your family is money well spent.
I'd much rather start our holiday relaxed than spend the first day recovering from a 14-hour layover just to save a few dollars.
Because sometimes the best-value flight isn't the one that costs the least—it's the one that starts your holiday the right way.
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