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News
Finally, some better news about airfare: Our tips for booking as flight prices cool (a little)
Sean Cudahy is an aviation reporter covering news about airlines, frequent flyer programs and consumer travel issues.
June 17, 2026 • 7 min read
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Quick summary
Recent data shows a modest decline in airfare for August, particularly for international flights, compared to earlier this summer.
Despite these drops, ticket prices remain higher than last year, with summer fares still about 12% above 2023 levels.
Jet fuel prices, influenced by global events, continue to keep airfares elevated, though the situation may improve if oil shipping routes fully reopen.
Travelers can find better deals by being flexible with destinations and dates, and by using comparison tools to identify the lowest fares.
What to consider
Any decrease in oil prices may take weeks or months to affect airfare, so immediate relief is unlikely.
Award travel pricing has also eased, but not to pre-surge levels, and some airlines have added fuel surcharges to award tickets.
The cheapest days to fly this summer are typically midweek or Saturdays, with Sundays being the most expensive, per Points Path data.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed strategies for finding lower fares, including specific dates and destinations where prices are dropping fastest.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
It has been months since we’ve shared news about airfare that wasn’t downright depressing.
But, finally, we’re starting to see some encouraging signals that flight prices may be coming back to Earth ... at least a little.
According to the latest data from our partners at Points Path, flights for August are currently cheaper than they were a few weeks ago — especially for travelers hoping to fly internationally.
And the eye-popping increase in airfare that we saw this spring has noticeably cooled over the last few weeks, even if flights are still more expensive than last summer.
It’s an early sign the season may not be lost for travelers who waited until now to book summer trips.
SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Meanwhile, the potential full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could offer additional hope of cheaper ticket prices.
Here’s what to make of the positive signs, the reasons we’re not celebrating just yet, and our tips for booking flights over the next few weeks.
An airfare roller coaster
It has been a rocky few months for airfare.
Ever since the conflict in the Middle East intensified in early March and caused a global spike in oil and jet fuel prices, ticket prices have surged.
But new data shows the worst of the price hikes may be behind us:
Over the past week, a domestic coach ticket booked between three and five weeks in advance was about 12% cheaper than it was a month ago, according to a TPG analysis.
If you want to travel internationally and can fly in August, those flights cost, on average, about 6% less than they did in mid-May.
Meanwhile, August domestic fares as of Tuesday were running about 2% cheaper than they were a month ago.
Source: Points Path data
We’re seeing similar declines in award pricing for flyers hoping to book flights with miles.
Alaska Airlines plane takes off at San Diego International Airport (SAN). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Not time to celebrate yet
It’s hardly time to celebrate the return of the cheap flight, though.
After all, Points Path data showed that summer fares this week were still about 12% higher than last summer.
Basically, the sticker shock is less jarring than it was a few weeks ago — but it’s still real.
Major price drops are unlikely to happen right away
And it may be awhile, experts warn, before flyers see true airfare relief ... even if all goes well with the planned reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the critical oil shipping corridor that has been snarled since winter.
A key reason: Jet fuel prices may not return to pre-war levels for some time, warned Jason Miller, supply chain expert at Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business.
“This will mean that airline ticket prices are not heading back to where they were before the war,” Miller said.
American Airlines Airbus A321 takes off. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Ahmed Abdelghany, former airline executive and dean at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, added: “Any decline in oil prices may take several weeks or even months to be fully reflected in ticket prices.”
Tips for booking flights now
So what can you do if you’re looking to book flights between now and the end of summer?
Be as flexible as possible
Whether you’re planning to pay for your flight or redeem miles, my top recommendation this summer is to be flexible in where you go and when you go there.
Instead of setting your sights on, say, London or Rome, pick the 10 places you might be willing to go if the price is right and then find the flights that fit your budget.
Airfare comparison site Kayak has a tool that notes the cities where fares are dropping the fastest right now. Asheville, North Carolina, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, lead the way for domestic destinations. Internationally, consider Seoul or Naples, Italy.
Naples, Italy. NICO DE PASQUALE PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES
Comparison shop
Use sites like Google Flights, Kayak or one of TPG’s other favorite award search tools to run broad searches across multiple airlines, destinations, dates and loyalty programs.
Cheapest days of the week to fly this summer
Domestic economy bookings through Labor Day weekend
This is where that annual fee can really pay for itself.
Pick your travel dates wisely
Here are the 10 cheapest days to fly between now and the unofficial end of summer, according to Points Path data:
Wednesday, Aug. 26
Monday, Sept. 7 (Labor Day)
Tuesday, Aug. 25
Thursday, Aug. 20
Wednesday, Aug. 19
Saturday, Aug. 22
Saturday, Sept. 5 (Labor Day weekend)
Wednesday, Sept. 2
Saturday, Aug. 15
Friday, Aug. 28
For those with a strong sense of the calendar, note that two of the 10 cheapest dates fall on Labor Day weekend. So, if Memorial Day weekend or Fourth of July brought you sticker shock, consider a getaway for the final long weekend of summer.
Southwest Airlines planes at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Bottom line
Ultimately, airlines likely won't start slashing fares unless they see a significant drop in demand.
So far, that hasn't happened.
Since Memorial Day weekend, the number of passengers that have passed through U.S. airports has been roughly even with last year, according to U.S. Transportation Security Administration numbers.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
