The cheapest month to fly depends on where you are going and where you start. This guide covers Southeast Asia, Europe, and Latin America, using fare data from Kayak, Going, and Expedia, plus season notes from travel publishers. Each region has its low-fare months, the months to avoid, and a note on how seasons shape prices.
How the Cheapest Months Were Chosen
Each source measures something different, so the sources do not always agree.
- Kayak: the median round-trip fare for each month over the past year, for flights from the United States or from a named US city.
- Going: the months with the most deals found by its flight team. This shows when sales appear most often, which is close to the lowest fare but not identical.
- Expedia: monthly averages on its Medellín page and booking-window findings from its 2026 Air Hacks report.
Most of the available data covers departures from the United States. Fares from other countries follow their own patterns, so treat each month below as a starting point to test. Fare data also changes daily, so these months show past patterns and do not promise future prices.
The Cheapest Months by Region
1. Southeast Asia
Fares to Southeast Asia tend to follow the weather, because the dry months are usually the busy months. The low-fare months often arrive with rain.
- Kayak, US departures: January is the cheapest month, at an average of $847 round trip. Kayak’s Houston and New York pages both show September, at about $950.
- Going, Bangkok and Chiang Mai: The most Bangkok deals appear for September travel dates, and the most Chiang Mai deals appear for March. June has the fewest deals for both.
- Going, Bali: March has the most deals and July has the fewest.
- Lonely Planet, Bali: January to March and November are the low season, when rates are typically lowest. July and August are the peak, because European and North American holidays overlap with the dry season.
The sources disagree on the single best month, partly because they use different departure cities and different measures. September and January come up most often for US departures, so those two are the first to compare.
Rain is the trade-off. Bali’s low season overlaps its rainy season, which Lonely Planet describes as an unpredictable time for outdoor plans. A remote worker who spends most days at a desk may mind the weather less than a beach visitor would.
If you are still choosing a base, the list of best digital nomad cities in Southeast Asia compares the main hubs.
Best for: Nomads who can start a stay in September or between January and March.
2. Europe
Summer is the busiest season for Europe, so the lowest fares tend to sit in winter and early spring, with a second dip in autumn.
- Going: January, February, and November are typically the cheapest months to fly to Europe from the United States. Summer months tend to cost the most.
- Kayak, US departures: January is the cheapest month, at an average of $587 round trip. Kayak’s New York page shows September at $506.
- Shoulder seasons: April to early June and late August to early October. According to the European Travel Commission, as reported by Travel Noire, flights and hotels can cost 20 to 30 percent less than in summer.
- Example fares: Between April 2025 and April 2026, Going found New York to Barcelona round trips for $237 and Chicago to Madrid for $299.
Travel Noire reports, citing Going, that November brings the lowest air and hotel prices in Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, and Paris. A November arrival suits a long winter stay. The arrival date also starts the count under the Schengen 90/180 day rule, which gives most visa-free visitors 90 days in any 180-day period.
For ideas on where to land, the best digital nomad cities in Europe are ranked with wifi speed in mind.
Best for: Nomads who can start a European stay between November and March, or in September.
3. Latin America
Fares to Latin America rise around the December holidays and fall in the months on each side. The cheapest month changes by country and by departure city.
- Kayak, South America from the US: February is the cheapest month, at an average of $391 round trip. Kayak’s LaGuardia page shows September at $485, and its Las Vegas page shows October at $557.
- Dollar Flight Club: September, October, and February are the cheapest months for South America. December is the most expensive, because of holiday and summer-vacation demand.
- Going, Mexico City: September has the most deals and July has the fewest. Going lists September and October as the shoulder season and December through April as the high season.
- Going and Expedia, Medellín: Going finds the most deals for February and the fewest for July. Expedia lists September as the cheapest month, at about $785 on average, and December as the most expensive, at about $1,263.
February appears in most of the South America data. Carnival, which falls in February or early March, can lift fares on routes to Brazil, so check dates before booking. Mexico City has a rainy season from June to October, which Going calls its slow season, so travelers who accept afternoon storms may find lower fares.
For US-based nomads, the list of nomad cities in Latin America is built around timezone overlap.
Best for: US-based nomads who can fly in September, October, or February.
How Far Ahead to Book
Two sources give different answers on timing.
- Going: recommends booking international trips 2 to 8 months before departure, and adding a couple of months for peak seasons.
- Expedia, 2026 Air Hacks (US): international travelers saved about $190 on average by booking 31 to 45 days ahead instead of six months ahead.
The two sources use different methods, so neither works as a fixed rule. Watching a route early and buying when the fare drops is a reasonable middle path. The guide to the best time to book international flights covers the booking window in more detail.
How to Find the Cheapest Month From Your Own City
The data above covers only a few departure cities, so a short test on your own route is useful.
- Compare three months: A simple test is to search the same route on FlyBibe for three different months and compare the totals.
- Use a month view: Skyscanner offers a whole-month view, and Google Flights offers an any-dates option for flexible plans.
- Price one-way fares: The Kayak figures above are round trip. Nomads who fly without a return date can compare one-way versus round-trip tickets before deciding.
- Watch for error fares: Going’s Bangkok and Mexico City pages list mistake fares its team has caught. Error fares and flash sales can sometimes beat the monthly averages above.
Compare Two Months Before You Book
Winter and early spring are common low points for Europe, and September often appears for Southeast Asia and Latin America. The cheapest month for you depends on your departure city, so compare two or three options before booking. When a fare looks right, search flights to Bangkok, Barcelona, or Medellín on FlyBibe. If you have not chosen a region yet, a side-by-side look at Portugal, Thailand, and Mexico can help you decide.