Looking to buy airline tickets three months, six months, or even one year in advance? Find out when airline tickets go on sale for over 600 different airlines and buy your flight tickets in advance with Alternative Airlines.
If you're looking to buy your flight tickets several months before your date of travel, but can't find any available flights for that date, use our search form at the top of the page to search for flights from over 600 airlines and discover which airlines offer flights for your chosen route the furthest in advance.
Find out how many days, weeks, or months in advance you can buy flights for each airline and information on when each airline releases its schedule.
| Airline | How Far Ahead You Can Book |
|---|---|
| Air France | 11 Months |
| Alaska Airlines | 330 Days |
| American Airlines | 330 Days |
| Adria Airways | 212 Days |
| Aeroflot | 216 Days |
| British Airways | 355 Days |
| Cathay Pacific | 360 Days |
| Condor | 349 Days |
| Delta Air Lines | 331 Days |
| EasyJet | 247 Days |
| Emirates | 340 Days |
| Etihad | 11 Months |
| Frontier Airlines | 258 Days |
| Fiji Airways | 330 Days |
| Hainan Airlines | 330 Days |
| Iberia | 365 Days |
| Japan Airlines | 330 Days |
| Jet2 | 12–18 Months |
| JetBlue | 6–8 Months |
| Iceland Air | 326 Days |
| KLM | 11 Months |
| Korean Air | 362 Days |
| Lufthansa | 360 Days |
| Norwegian | 9–12 Months |
| Pen Air | 331 Days |
| Qantas | 354 Days |
| Qatar Airways | 361 Days |
| Ravn | 331 Days |
| Ryanair | 5–6 Months |
| Spirit Airlines | 330 Days |
| Southwest | 254 Days |
| Virgin Atlantic | 11 Months |
Alternative Airlines asked travel writer Phil Thomas the million-dollar question and this is what he had to say.
"What tends to hold true, at least in my own experience, is that the longer the flight, the earlier I book.Â
Some analysis by Yahoo Finance has found that international fares often bottom out well ahead of departure – roughly around 100 days before the travel date - and that on most routes the cheapest prices appear more than 50 days before you fly. Waiting it out doesn’t usually improve your odds.
Of course, airlines occasionally throw all logic out the window. Price wars, especially around Black Friday, can produce genuinely eye-watering deals.Â
The big exception to the data-driven approach is high-demand travel. If you’re flying for a major event - World Cup, Taylor Swift - or during peak holiday season, book as early as you can. When demand explodes, prices only go in one direction." Â
Buy Now Pay Later plans are a popular method by which to spread the cost of your payments. You can book your flights today, then spread the cost over a period that suits you. Check out our top partners like Affirm, Klarna and Afterpay today!
Planning your trip early is one of the best ways to secure the right dates, routes and prices - especially when you’re booking for multiple people. But paying for everything upfront, months before departure, can be a stretch. Slice Pay helps ease that pressure.
With Slice Pay, you can secure your advance booking with a small deposit and spread the rest of the cost with weekly or fortnightly payments. It’s a true lay-by payment plan (not a credit product), which means you can embark on your trip with no interest, no debt, and no stress.
With Slice Pay, you can secure your advance booking with a small deposit and spread the rest of the cost with weekly or fortnightly payments. It's a deposit payment plan (not a credit product), which means you can embark on your trip with no interest, no debt, and no stress. With Slice Pay, you get:
Slice Pay is perfect for group trips or expensive long-haul trips booked well in advance. You'll see if Slice Pay is available in your region at checkout when booking with Alternative Airlines.
Found a great deal months ahead? Splitit lets you book now and spread the cost over time with your current credit card. No need to pay in full upfront - just choose a payment plan that works for you and fly when you're ready.
Perfect for securing flights up to a year in advance without the immediate financial pressure.
Start by heading to the top of the page. Fill in the search form with your destinations, dates, and the number of people travelling. Click 'Search flights' and select the flights that are most suitable for you.
At checkout, select your preferred payment option:
Choose the payment schedule that works for you. Once your payment is processed, your flight booking will be confirmed and you'll receive your e-ticket from Alternative Airlines in your email inbox.
Search flights in advance with over 600 airlines and 40+ ways to pay. Lock in the best prices and spread the cost in a way that works for your budget.
We’re super proud of our Trustpilot rating, but don’t just take it from us. See why millions of others love booking their flights through Alternative Airlines
The sweet spot for booking flights is typically 2-3 months in advance for domestic flights and 3-6 months for international flights. However, you can often book up to a year ahead with many airlines.
Booking early helps you secure better prices and your preferred dates, especially during peak travel seasons or for popular routes.
Yes, many airlines allow you to book flights up to a year in advance. Some airlines like Iberia allow bookings up to 365 days ahead, while others like Jet2 allow bookings 12-18 months in advance.
Use our search form to check which airlines fly your chosen route and how far in advance they release their schedules.
Booking flights early gives you several advantages:
Early booking is especially helpful for family trips, group travel, or popular destinations during peak seasons.
You don't need to pay the full amount upfront when booking early. Alternative Airlines offers flexible payment options:
This lets you lock in early prices while managing your budget more easily.
Your payment plan is set when you book, but if you need to make changes, it depends on your payment provider:
Always contact your payment provider as soon as possible if you're having difficulty with payments.
Alaska Airlines allows bookings from up to 330 days out, which is the equivalent to just under 11 months or 47 weeks.
Delta Air Lines allow you to book your airline tickets 330 days or 47 weeks in advance. This is the same as 10/11 months.
How far in advance that you can book Frontier flights differs from season to season. On average, you can expect to be able to make Frontier Airlines flight reservation 258 days in advance. Frontier Airlines usually extend its schedule every two months.
With its latest schedule release, Southwest allowed passengers to book flights 254 day in advance, which is equal to 36 weeks or just over eight months. Check the furthest away date that Southwest is currently taking bookings for and when its next schedule is released.
Spirit Airlines flights are released 330 days in advance. This is equal to 47 weeks or 10/11 months.
Yes, with Alternative Airlines, you can book flights for the end of the year, whether it's a year in advance, a month or even a week!
Yes, some airlines have already released their flight schedule for the early stages of next year and are available to book as of now. As time goes on, more airlines will begin to release their flights for 2025. If you want to fly sooner, most airlines have already released their flights for the end of the year too. Flights are usually available to book 11 months in advance although this may vary depending on the airline. You can find out more by visiting our guide on buying flights for next year.
Yes! In fact, Slice Pay is ideal for advance bookings. It’s designed for people who plan early - like families, groups, or anyone booking 3–12 months ahead - and want time to budget for the full cost of the trip.
You can secure your booking with as little as 10% upfront in Australia, New Zealand, UK, and Canada or 20% upfront in the US. The rest is paid in instalments over time, with everything paid off before your departure.
Yes! Slice Pay is designed for early planners. Whether you’re booking a holiday in six months or a family reunion next year, you can reserve your flights today and pay over time without dipping into savings or taking on debt.
You’ll see Slice Pay at checkout if it’s available in your region and for your flight. Just select it as your payment method and follow the steps to confirm your deposit and payment plan. For more information, visit our page on paying for your flights with deposits.
When planning flights in advance, there are a few things to consider. One of the major ones is knowing when you can book your flights, as different airlines start selling tickets at different times.
When booking early tickets, it's also good to add cancellation protection. This way, if emergency circumstances force you to cancel your flights, you'll be refunded.
For further details on planning your flights in advance, check out our dedicated blog.
