The debate over when to buy airfare is a lively one. Some say Tuesday at 3pm is the best time. Others insist it is Monday at 5am. Still others claim that Saturday at 1pm is the best time. Is there any evidence to back up these claims? What is the secret to getting the best available fare? Do I spin around three times holding my suitcase over my head chanting Om Mani Padme Hum?

Now, I know that when it comes to buying a ticket, I am not as diligent as I should be on getting the best price. I tend to decide when I want to go somewhere, decide on the destination and then, search for airfare. So, when I read an article on Conde Nast Traveler, I was pleasantly surprised to find there has been research done and there is, in fact, an optimal time to buy your airfare at the best rate.

In short, the research is based on billions of passenger flights between January 2016 and October 2016. The results of the study showed that Sunday is the best day to save money on your ticket, especially if you are booking more than 21 days in advance. It states that you can save up to 30% on international fares and 17% on domestic tickets.

That’s good news but I have even better news. In setting my 2017 goals, I decided I wanted to take a minimum of three international trips. About the same time I logged that goal I discovered that I could set up fare alerts on airfarewatchdog.com taking the guess work and research out of my hands. I entered my departure city and my destination cities and it automatically emails me fare alerts. It has worked perfectly and I’ve been able to book two of my trips for a lot less than I expected to pay.

Just like anything worth having, getting the best airfare involves a little planning. Whether you camp out on airfare sites, book on Sunday, or sign up for alerts if you hope to get the best price you can, do your homework. Aisle seat over the wing? Here I come!

What do you think? Is there something to booking on a Sunday? Let me know in the comments!