When searching for cheap flights into, out of, and around Canada, you’ve probably noticed that prices change continuously, making it hard to know when to make that all-important booking. Here we’ll explain why prices change and how you can use this to your advantage when booking flights.

Why are flight prices constantly changing?

A little insight

Whether you’re planning a memorable vacation in Banff, an adventure around the Maritimes, a trip to catch a Toronto Raptors game, or a visit to Vancouver for a concert, you’ll want to be confident that you’re getting a great flight deal. From last-minute flights to those you’ve been researching for months, it’s always possible to find cheaper options when you know where to look.

One of the main reasons flight prices change without warning is yield management, a strategy used by airlines to predict customer behaviour and control flight prices to their advantage.

What is yield management?

How does yield management work?

Imagine a giant game of chess, but instead of knights and pawns, it's airline seats and eager travellers. That's essentially what yield management is – a strategic system that airlines use to sell the right seat to the right person at the right price, ultimately maximising their profits.

Airlines understand that different travellers have different priorities. A family planning a summer vacation in advance is more likely to hunt for bargains, while a business traveller needing a last-minute flight is often willing to pay a premium for convenience.

There are many ways in which airlines can gather this information and use it to their advantage, including:

Analysing data: Airlines use sophisticated algorithms to track booking patterns, predict demand, and identify peak travel times. High demand and peak travel times result in increased flight prices.

Adjusting prices dynamically: Those cheap fares you see months in advance? They're designed to entice early birds. As the flight date approaches and seats fill up, prices rise, especially for last-minute bookings.

Controlling seat inventory: Airlines carefully allocate seats between different fare classes (economy, business, etc.) to ensure they're maximising revenue from each flight.

How to use the flight pricing cycle to your advantage

Grab a bargain!

An understanding of yield management comes with actionable points and travel hacks you can use to find the best flight deals and benefit from cheap prices.

Which day is best for booking flights?

The day you back can impact how much you pay.

Mondays: Unsold weekend seats often get discounted on Mondays which can make the first day of the week the best time to book flights. Tuesday mornings: Many airlines release sales and promotions on Monday nights, making Tuesday morning a great time to book your seat. Weekends: Avoid booking flights during weekends where possible as prices are likely to be automated rather than monitored by airline staff. This results in prices rising when cheap flights and deals are booked to balance profits.

When are the best airline sales?

Check throughout the year

Airlines launch sales at different points throughout the year, and many will mirror what their competitors are doing to ensure they don’t lose customers to their rivals. If you’re looking to book cheap flights in advance, many major airlines have sales on Black Friday and just after Christmas, so these can be good options for flight deals for the year ahead. Air Transat hosts flash sales where you can often secure lower prices, and Air Canada has frequent seat sales which typically start at the beginning of the week.

Can cookies impact flight prices?

Yes, they can

Another great travel hack to find cheap flight prices is to clear your browser cookies or use a private browsing window when searching for flights. This prevents airlines from tracking your searches and potentially inflating prices based on your previous activity.

Getting the best flight prices:

Extra tips & tricks

Money saving tips

As well as knowing which days offer the best flight deals and understanding yield management and how you can use this for your advantage when securing cheap flight prices, there are a few other things to keep in mind.

Use the Skyscanner app

To find the cheapest prices

As previously highlighted, airlines use cookies to track your search history which lets them know the flights you’re interested in. This means you miss out on the best prices as they believe you’ll book the flight regardless of cost. The Skyscanner app helps you avoid this problem as you’ll see the cheapest flight prices available.

Fly midweek

Avoid the weekend for cheaper deals

Friday and weekend flights are often the most popular as people like to jet off as soon as they finish work for the week. However, due to this demand, flights at the end of the week are typically higher than the same flights between Monday and Thursday. So, if you’re able to fly midweek, you’re likely to find that you’ll secure cheaper flight prices.

Set up Price Alerts

Be the first to know any price changes

If you’re not looking for cheap last-minute flights, setting up Skyscanner Price Alerts can help you secure the cheapest seats as you’ll be notified when prices drop. This is especially useful when you’re booking flights in advance or simply want to know how cheap the prices for the trip you’re interested in can drop to.

When do flight prices go down?

Coming in for landing

Flight prices go down when demand is low, airlines aren’t hitting their targets, and competing airlines have price drops and sales. The best time to book your flights can also depend on whether you’re travelling internationally or within Canada.

International flights

The early bird catches the worm

Airlines tend to offer their lowest prices when flights first open for sale, typically 11 months in advance, making booking early the best strategy for securing cheap international flights out of Canada.

Domestic flights

Strike a balance

When searching for cheap internal flights in Canada, like a weekend getaway to Montreal, attending TIFF in Toronto, or experiencing the Calgary Stampede, aim to book three to six weeks before your departure date. This sweet spot often yields the most competitive fares.

Is it cheaper to book last-minute flights?

No... not usually

Although it’s widely believed that last-minute flight prices are cheaper, this is very rarely the case. As mentioned, booking as far in advance as possible for international flights and around three to six weeks in advance for domestic flights in Canada will typically ensure you secure the best flight deals. Should you have no choice but to book your flights at the last minute, try to book early in the week to benefit from cheaper Monday and Tuesday pricing, and use the Skyscanner app to snap up the cheapest seats available.

Now that you know all about why flight prices change and how to secure the best flight offers and cheapest prices, it’s time to put this knowledge into practice.