It’s approaching that time of year again. In late November, fares will be slashed from Black Friday to Travel Tuesday as holidaymakers seek out the best deals in air travel. But when across the five days is the best time to actually book?
In a Skyscanner analysis of its own flight data, Cyber Monday showed the lowest average price per seat across the five-day sales period in 2025. So if you’re wondering when to snap up the ultimate bargain, you may not want to rush your purchase as soon as Black Friday sales open.
The data also maps where the biggest fare drops and spikes in interest fell, useful for travel advisors fielding “where should I go” questions through late November.
Which destinations saw the biggest discounts?
Across the full sales period, Calgary in Canada topped the list for the biggest price falls, with fares down 35 per cent against the previous 12-month average. Buenos Aires (Argentina) followed at 29 per cent and Barcelona (Spain) at 27 per cent, with Milan (Italy) and Honolulu (USA) rounding out the top five.
Travel Tuesday, the dedicated travel sale that closes out the week, told a different story. Honolulu led the price drops at 27 per cent, ahead of Buenos Aires (21 per cent) and Los Angeles (16 per cent), with Taipei (Taiwan) and Da Nang (Vietnam) both down 14 per cent.
Several of those destinations sit squarely in the Aussie outbound mix too, with the United States a consistent top-ten destination for Australian travellers and Honolulu a perennial favourite, despite the 2026 slide in US-bound travel.
Where are travellers searching?
Interest, rather than price, points to the quirkier end of the demand curve.
Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan recorded the largest search increase during the full sales period, up 175 per cent, followed by Rovaniemi in Finland (85 per cent) and Hamilton in New Zealand (66 per cent).
On Travel Tuesday alone, Lima in Peru drew the biggest jump at 88 per cent.
Don’t write off Travel Tuesday
Despite Cyber Monday claiming the cheapest-day title, the final day of the week can still deliver standout value.
“By the time Travel Tuesday arrives, most people have their travel plans set and aren’t necessarily thinking about next year’s holidays,” Skyscanner travel expert Jarrod Kris says.
“That’s exactly when airlines and hotels swoop in with compelling offers to inspire bookings and entice travellers to start planning their next adventure.”
On the broader sales rush, Kris cautions against impulse bookings.
“Black Friday can bring a wave of attracting travel offers but it can also be an overwhelming time to book,” he says.
“The key is not to rush. Stay open-minded and focus on the trip that works best for your budget, travel goals and timing, rather than jumping on the first deal you see.”
Kris points to date flexibility, tracking a fare and staying open on destination as the simplest ways to cut through the noise.
KARRYON UNPACKS: It is a neat counter to the Black Friday frenzy: the cheapest seats landed two days deeper into the week. For travel advisors managing clients eyeing a 2027 trip, the data is a ready-made reason to slow the booking down to Cyber Monday, and Honolulu and Los Angeles topping the Travel Tuesday drops keeps the savings pointed at destinations Australians already fly to.
