January 31, 2025, 7:15 am | Read time: 4 minutes
When it comes to booking a flight, the amount of supposedly good tips and advice is endless. But many of them are long outdated, as a new analysis shows. We reveal six myths about flying that you can safely forget—and what you should do instead.
The right day of the week to book the flight, the best time to fly, booking as far in advance as possible—there are supposedly a lot of things to consider when planning a vacation. Many myths about flying persist, even though they are simply not true.
Overview
- Myth No. 1: Booking Particularly Early Guarantees a Low Price
- Myth No. 2: Flights Should Not Be Booked on the Weekend
- Myth No. 3: It’s Cheaper to Fly on Vacation Right After the Weekend
- Myth No. 4: There Is Always a Lot Going On at the Airport, No Matter When You Travel
- Myth No. 5: Flights Are Getting More and More Expensive
- Myth No. 6: Flights in Germany Are Delayed Especially Often
The online travel agency Expedia, in collaboration with the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) and the OAG (Official Airline Guide), has now, as it does every year, analyzed billions of pieces of data from the world’s largest flight databases—and uncovered and clarified the most widespread myths about flying.
Myth No. 1: Booking Particularly Early Guarantees a Low Price
Most travelers do not rely on last-minute bargains but book their flight well in advance. However, there may be a cost trap lurking here. According to Expedia’s “Air Hacks Report”, those who book too early may even pay more.
However, the analysis of the data also reveals the perfect time to book. Travelers have the greatest savings potential if they book international flights six to seven weeks before departure. According to the report, flights booked during this period could be up to 10 percent cheaper than those booked six months before departure.
Myth No. 2: Flights Should Not Be Booked on the Weekend
Holidaymakers have time to plan and book their trips on the weekend. A widespread myth is, therefore, that flights should not be booked on the weekend. However, the makers of the analysis were also able to disprove this. In terms of ticket prices, Saturday is the best day to book international flights and Friday the worst. Travelers who booked on a Saturday instead of a Friday could save up to 19 percent.
But why is that? “Significantly fewer business trips are booked on weekends compared to weekdays,” says Expedia spokeswoman Susanne Dopp. The demand for flights is therefore generally lower. This has a positive effect on flight prices.
Myth No. 3: It’s Cheaper to Fly on Vacation Right After the Weekend
Many people supposedly go on vacation over the weekend. A widespread assumption is, therefore, that Monday as a travel day offers particularly high savings potential. However, the Air Hacks Report comes to the conclusion that this myth is long outdated.
After all, those who start their vacation on Friday have the highest savings potential. Monday, on the other hand, is potentially the most expensive departure day for international flights, according to the Air Hacks Report. Those who fly on Fridays instead of Mondays can save up to 18 percent on airfare—and gain a whole weekend at their vacation destination.
Myth No. 4: There Is Always a Lot Going On at the Airport, No Matter When You Travel
Crowds, long queues, and waiting times can cause stress for some travelers. But anyone who thinks they have to grit their teeth when traveling by plane because of the often turbulent conditions at airports is mistaken. This is also one of the widespread myths about flying—and according to the authors of the report, the choice of travel date can certainly have an influence on how many passengers are on the move.
If you want to avoid the crowds, you should travel on a Tuesday in January, for example. According to the data, the first month of the year has the lowest probability of encountering many people. This also generally applies to Tuesdays as a travel day.
Myth No. 5: Flights Are Getting More and More Expensive
When looking at current flight prices, many a willing vacationer has to swallow hard. Prices seem to be constantly on the rise—at least that’s the perception of many. But the data seems to refute this. Prices for international economy flights actually fell by 1 percent between 2023 and 2024. However, the situation is different for domestic German flights. Here, prices had actually risen by 9 percent.
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Myth No. 6: Flights in Germany Are Delayed Especially Often
The data from the Expedia report also disproves the last myth—albeit not conclusively. According to the databases, flights from Germany were delayed by an average of 169 minutes in 2024. The greatest number of delays occurred in June, averaging a whopping 246 minutes.
However, with an average delay of 200 minutes, flights from Mexico took off 30 minutes later than flights from Germany last year. There were also longer delays in France (179 minutes), Canada (174 minutes), and the US (172 minutes) than in Germany.