According to new research from Expedia®, air travel is a leading cause of stress for 55% of Americans, who find it more daunting than filing taxes or visiting the dentist. To help break the cycle of stress as the busy holiday travel season approaches, Expedia today released its 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, unpacking data-backed strategies for saving money and reducing stress. Hacks from this year's report include:

• The booking sweet spot just got sweeter:
  
  • Domestic airfare should be booked 28 days before departure; travelers saved up to 24% compared to those who booked at the last minute, surpassing the 10% savings travelers saw on average in 2022.
  • International airfare should be booked around 60 days out (and no more than four months out) for optimal availability and savings (around 10% on average). Last year, the sweet spot was closer to six months out.
• Sunday remains the cheapest day of the week to book flights, while Fridays are most expensive. On average, travelers saved up to 13%.
• Fly before 3 p.m. to minimize the impact of delays and cancellations. Flights departing after 3 p.m. statistically have a 50% higher chance of being canceled than earlier flights.

The analysis also found that average ticket prices remain nearly flat compared to last year and flight cancellation rates have improved (1.7% of flights compared to 4.1% in 20223), positive trends for travelers that cited finding a good deal (61%) and worrying about disruptions (28%) as big contributors to stress.