If you’re anything like me, your summer travel wish list is always longer than the number of trips you actually have booked. Every year, I tell myself I’m done planning vacations—then I spot a cheap flight, a solo destination I’ve been meaning to visit or a long beachy escape that suddenly looks wide open on the calendar. Before I know it, I’m searching for airfare again.
The good news? If you haven’t locked in your summer travel plans yet, or you’re hoping to squeeze in one more international getaway, there’s still plenty of time to save. Expedia analyzed millions of flight searches, bookings and data from the past year to identify two of the cheapest days to travel this summer—and they just so happen to be in August. Ahead, Melanie Fish, Expedia’s travel expert, gives us the scoop on the newest report so you can plan your trips strategically and keep more money in your travel budget.
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What are the two cheapest days to fly?
Circle Aug. 11 and Aug. 17 on your calendar. According to Expedia, those are the two cheapest days to fly internationally in 2026.
What makes these two days the cheapest?
It’s all about timing. “Mid-August is when international demand begins to ease as families return from summer vacation and back-to-school season starts,” says Fish. “It creates a sweet spot before the back-to-school travel surge fully dissipates.”
In other words, many travelers have already taken their big summer trips by this point. With fewer families booking vacations and students preparing to head back to school, airlines often lower prices to fill seats. Fish adds that early June and mid-August tend to offer better value on both flights and hotels than peak summer weeks.
What is the cheapest month to fly overall?
Despite summer travel being associated with sky-high prices, Expedia found August to be the most affordable month to fly in 2026.
And the savings can be substantial. According to Expedia’s data, travelers can find round-trip flights to destinations like Atlantic City, Fort Lauderdale, Myrtle Beach and Orlando for under $500, on average, in August. Looking farther afield? International destinations including Mykonos and Santorini, Greece; Toulouse, France; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, can be reached for under $1,000, on average.
The report also identified some particularly affordable booking windows, including the week of July 6 for domestic travel and the week of July 27 for international travel.
When is the most expensive time to travel?
“December is the most expensive, given it’s the holiday season—no surprise there,” says Fish. “Across both domestic and international routes, December remains the peak of high airfare, as holiday travel surges spike prices across nearly all markets.”
Between Thanksgiving carryover travel, Christmas vacations, Hanukkah celebrations and New Year’s trips, millions of travelers are competing for the same flights. So if your schedule allows, traveling before or after the holiday rush can lead to significant savings.
What are the peak summer travel times?
The most expensive stretch of summer isn’t August—it’s actually much earlier. According to Fish, peak family travel occurs in late June and early July, particularly around Juneteenth weekend, Independence Day and the first weeks of summer vacation. That’s when schools are out, families are eager to travel and demand for flights reaches its seasonal high point.
Luckily, waiting just a few weeks can make a big difference. As summer winds down and back-to-school preparations begin, demand drops and airfare often follows. That’s a big reason why mid-August has emerged as one of the best-value travel periods of the entire year.
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About the expert
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Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing, and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Melanie Fish, travel expert at Expedia; email interview, June 24, 2026
- Expedia: “Expedia 2026 Air Hacks: Friday Takes Off as the New Cheapest Day to Depart and Book”
- Expedia: “Smart Planning and Value Take Center Stage in Summer Travel, According to Expedia “
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