Best Time to Buy Cheap Flights on American Airlines

Published by Rick Seaney on February 7, 2024

Looking for cheap flights on American Airlines? Wondering when is the best time to find a low fare to travel with the airline? Curious about getting the best flight deals on American?

No matter what your future travel plans may entail, we've got you covered. Read on for a brief background and then our tips on finding and booking cheap American Airlines flights.

Brief History of American Airlines

In 2023, Texas-based American Airlines was recognized as the world's second-largest airline by revenue (preceded by Delta and followed by United, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM) but it started out as a humble mail carrier. According to the American Airlines website, one of its earliest pilots made some history of his own: "[In 1926] Charles Lindbergh flew the first American Airlines flight carrying U.S. mail from St. Louis to Chicago." Today American services over 350 cities around the world.

When's the Best Time to Buy Cheap Flights on American?

This advice is the same for all U.S. airlines, generally speaking. Shop for tickets on Tuesday afternoon.

The reason? Most airlines launch sales on either late Monday or early Tuesday; by that afternoon, competing airlines have lowered their fares on overlapping routes, and shoppers will have the most deals from which to choose. This ensures you're in the driver's seat (so to speak) and can make the most informed decision possible before choosing your airfare.

However, it's essential that you keep something in mind. American (or any one airline in particular) won't always have the cheapest price. Sometimes their fares will be the lowest, sometimes you might find them on Spirit, Southwest, or another airline entirely. If you want the cheapest ticket regardless of airline, you must use a comparison airfare search site. It's quick, easy, and saves you a lot of time and energy.

How to Find Airfare Deals on American Airlines

Nothing feels as good as knowing you've secured a cheap flight or amazing low fare, especially on a carrier as popular and far-reaching as American.

• Always compare airfares. On FareCompare, you can select only the airlines with which you wish to fly – including American – but see the prices for all carriers and flights. Ultimately, you may decide that another carrier's deal is too cheap to resist.
• Fly on the cheapest days. On U.S. flights, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are typically the cheapest days to fly. When it comes to international flights, weekdays are generally cheaper than weekends (but not always). Try to plan your travel or holiday around this insight and you might be surprised with how different the airfares are!
• Sign up for airfare alerts. This will alert you to the best airfare deals in real-time. The more flexible you can be, the more this will work for you. Take into account other factors such as travel dates, departure/arrival city, airlines, and more.
• Use the Getaway Map. If you know you want to fly in a particular month or season, the Getaway Map will show you the deals instantly. What's not to love?
• Fly to larger airports. American boasts several hub airports including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and many more, and sometimes bigger actually means cheaper. When looking at prices on FareCompare, be sure to click the box the left beside the word airports so you can 'view all' and have a better shot at finding a good deal.