Am I better off purchasing airfares months before flying?
There is no 100% answer to your question. It really depends upon the markets. Take a look at the “fare history” on Kayak. You can see what the typical fare has been in a market over the past few months. That will give you a clue as to whether you should buy now or wait. To a point, its a game. Airline revenue systems typically do not begin to evaluate a particular route until 90 days prior to departure. At the 90 day out point, the reservation system may release more ‘cheap’ seats to fill it, which would lead to last minute deals. All things considered (& under the knowledge that airlines are still reducing capacity), I would buy it now just so that you can guarantee yourself a seat. Prior to putting down your credit card, just check with the airline about their policy of price adjustments. Sometimes if you buy now and the price goes down, say four months from now, you may be eligible for a future travel credit for the difference. You would be responsible for checking on any fare chang
