How Long In Advance Is Recommended To Buy Delta Airline Tickets?

Aug 13, 2024

Knowing when to buy Delta tickets is also essential to ensure that you get a good price and avoid having to pay more at the last minute.

Air travel is never simple, and the ticket purchase procedure makes things much more difficult. You want the finest offer and also do not want to purchase at a certain moment and then pay less for purchasing later. When then would be the ideal time to get Delta Air Lines tickets? Depending on factors like trip dates, destinations, and so on, here is a broad guidance to help you choose the ideal moment to purchase an airline ticket.

Domestic Flights

When it comes to flying within the continental United States, most of the experts advise people to begin searching for flights between three weeks and three months before the desired travel date. There are a few reasons for this timeframe: There are a few reasons for this timeframe:

This is so because, on popular routes, the availability of tickets decreases; typically, this is approximately 21 days before the departure date. When you book around three weeks ahead, the flights are still available and the costs are inexpensive.
Unlike waiting until the very last minute, you will still have a lot of choices for flight schedules and days. This helps one to look for a flight fitting inside their schedule.
Usually, three months before the flight date, Delta offers their low basic economy rates. If the airline grants a lot of luggage allowance or if you are not sure where you would like to sit, this is excellent.
Having stated that, the optimal timing could change somewhat based on other variables: Having stated, the optimum timing could change somewhat based on other variables:
Peak travel times and holidays: Should your vacation intentions fall around spring break, summer, or winter holidays, you may have to start making reservations four or five months in advance as the slots are filled quickly. Prices also start rising during the most popular weeks early.
Comparatively, short flights vs long flights Less frequent flights within a region, say from New York to Atlanta, might be reserved even one month before the trip and at off-peak times. For lengthier trips, such as from New York to Los Angeles, costs often are more and travel times are less preferred.
Destination Airport Size: Book many months in advance if you want to visit a tiny regional airport either for travel to or from. Simply said, there are fewer total flights, which results in fewer seats and rapid filling of the planes.

International Flights

Domestic flights are usually cheaper than international flights because operational costs such as fuel, taxes, and airport fees are factored in at an early stage of the operation of the flight. In general:

Europe/Asia: It is recommended to look for decent rates around 4-6 months before the shoot date. The cheapest economy class fares tend to be released between 10 and 11 months before the travel date.
Mexico/Caribbean/Central America: Though you might be able to book some places 2-3 months before your travel, it is still wise to book 4-6 months before, especially if you intend to travel to popular tourist destinations.
Bucket List Destinations: When planning for a one-time visit to distant destinations such as Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and so on, it is advisable to book the flights 6–12 months in advance. The availability of flights is not high, which results in a sharp increase in rates.

If Your Plans Are Flexible

Another strategy to scoop up deals on Delta is by being flexible on the dates of travel. Here are some tips:

When you go to Delta’s official website, there is a calendar where you can search for cheap days for your route for the whole month. Then plan your trip according to the rates that you get so that you can travel when the rates are low.
Book mid-week flights. Flights that are taken on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays are cheaper than on the weekends, as popular flights.
Look for a flight ticket to the nearest airport. If the city of your destination has more than one airport, then compare the prices at different airports in that city. Even for secondary airports that might be several hours' drive away, there is often a considerable amount of savings that can balance the time taken to drive.

Be Notified of Upcoming Fare Reductions

In cases where maybe you have already bought your ticket and then realize that prices are falling? Delta provides a handy Fare Lock program in which you can get future travel credits if fares are reduced after that. To capitalize on this, make sure you sign up your itinerary to their email alerts during the booking process. Delta will then automatically track fares and notify you when there are lower published fares for that specific flight.

You can then void your original ticket to return the value as an electronic credit good for one year on future bookings. This way you can rebook with the same flight at the new and lower fare. The credits can be used on other Delta flights provided that the tickets belong to the particular passenger or others under the same reservation.

With Delta, the issue here is that compared to other airlines, they promise to give back the full difference, which means the difference in fares plus the difference in taxes and surcharges as well. It is, therefore, worthwhile to opt for fare drop alerts each time you purchase your ticket, even if you may have pre-booked your ticket many months in advance.

Take Advantage of Buddy Passes to get Cheap Companion Rates

Another feature of Delta is known as Buddy Pass, which is available for Platinum, Diamond, or Diamond Medallion Members; it allows you to bring a companion at a reduced rate. If you pay the full fare for one ticket, your friend can travel for a specific amount of money which can translate to massive percentage discounts to the normal fares. The Buddy Pass companion fare is only $99 for domestic and Canadian flights or $199 for international flights.

This must be done with the original ticket, which has to be bought at least 24 hours before the time of travel. And your companion has to travel to all those sectors with you. However, it is a nice little extra that frequent passengers of Delta Airlines can make use of in the last minutes if there is a friend who wishes to accompany a specific journey.

The Bottom Line

There are always some exceptions, but, as a rule, domestic Delta flights are cheaper when bought 1-3 months before the flight, while international ones are better to be bought 4-6 months before the departure. If possible, be willing to fly during less popular times and sign up for fare drop alerts after you book so you can try to rebook at a lower fare. By using these tips, you will be flying on Delta flights in no time for a cheaper price!

Book your Delta Airlines ticket now! Call +1 833-902-2090