Google Flights has just released its latest travel report, which draws on four years of data from millions of searches. The report outlines the smartest strategies for optimising your booking, including when to fly and book, as well as the destinations that US travellers are heading to in 2025.
Here are Google’s key takeaways:
Days still matter
Not all days were created equal. According to Google, the cheapest days to travel are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with Tuesday offering the greatest savings. This makes sense, as demand increases as the weekend approaches, when families and those with fixed schedules can travel. Travellers can save an average of 13% on the ticket price by flying midweek. Sunday remains the most expensive day to fly.
The underrated advantage of stopovers
Direct flights are more convenient, but they come at a price. Google’s data shows that flights with a stopover can be up to 22% cheaper than non-stop journeys. Of course, this only applies to travellers who have the time to spare though it does offer the added bonus of exploring another city en route.
Booking days matter too
Tuesday is the clear winner once more. Booking your flight on a Tuesday could save you around 1.3% on your fare. This may not sound like much, but when combined with other strategies, it adds up with no extra effort from the traveller.
How far in advance to book
The era of last-minute booking appears to be over. Google’s analysis suggests that advance booking is the best way to get low fares.
The data suggests that, for domestic flights, booking 39 days in advance is most likely to result in the cheapest fare, whereas for international flights, 49 days or more is the optimal booking period.
The cheapest time to book
Google Flights also provides a “cheapest time to book” feature tailored to specific destinations, helping travellers identify the most favourable booking window.
The ideal timing depends on the season. For Thanksgiving, the lowest price range is between 24 and 59 days in advance, with the best average fares appearing around 35 days before departure. For Christmas, the optimal window is between 32 and 73 days. Fares for spring break are best secured one to three months ahead, while summer holidays are cheapest when booked between two and six weeks in advance.
For European destinations, Google recommends booking at least 48 days before departure. For Mexico and the Caribbean, the lowest average fares are typically found around 50 days in advance, although travellers may still find good deals if they book at any point between 26 and 79 days ahead.
US trending destinations for 2025
Once the booking strategy has been mastered, travellers can focus on their destination.
The picture has changed since last year. According to Google’s 2024 report, the most popular domestic destinations for Thanksgiving were New York, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando and Los Angeles. However, in 2025, the trend has shifted towards smaller cities, with Columbia, Bozeman, Spokane, Detroit, Omaha, Pittsburgh, Panama City, Little Rock, Knoxville and Colorado Springs now leading the way.
The same change is visible in international travel for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. In 2024, major metropolises such as London, Tokyo, Paris, Cancun and Rome were the most popular destinations.
This year, American travellers are prioritising sunshine. Rio de Janeiro, St Lucia and Marrakech are now in the top three, followed by Tel Aviv, Curaçao, Belize, Aruba, Barbados, Punta Cana and the Cayman Islands.
