Victoria We all know Black Friday is a circus. Discounts everywhere, sites crashing, people scrambling to grab “deals” that sometimes aren’t even real deals. But here’s a secret most travelers don’t realize: the best time to book flights might not be Black Friday at all.
It’s the Tuesday after Black Friday – better known as Travel Tuesday.
The Hidden Gem of Flight Deals
While everyone is bragging about their Black Friday hauls, airlines quietly drop a new wave of fares on Tuesday. And they don’t exactly advertise them – because the fewer people who notice, the longer they can keep charging higher prices.
Last year, I nearly gave up after missing Black Friday flights to Lisbon. But on Tuesday morning, RatePunk sent me a personalized alert that prices had dropped to just $419 roundtrip. I booked it in minutes. Without that alert, I would have never known the deal even existed.
But because of RatePunk, I got to fly to Lisbon, visit Sintra, and even drive down to Porto. Could not recommend it more.
Why Travel Tuesday Works
Airlines test the waters on Black Friday. Then, on Tuesday, they often release fresh discounts to clear seats. The drops can be even steeper – but they’re sneaky, short-lived, and easy to miss if you’re not tracking constantly.
That’s where RatePunk came in – the tool that changed the way I travel.
RatePunk Saved My Vacation Plans
This is how, and that’s why I’m continuing to rely on it:
- Always-on scanning: the algorithm never takes a break. Even while I’m asleep, RatePunk is searching for deals I would never find on my own.
- Dashboard search: if I feel like exploring, I can log in and instantly see the best fares across all my tracked destinations from my chosen departure airport. It’s like having a live control panel for flight savings.
And most importantly:
- Personalized alerts: I can choose which routes or airports I’m comfortable to fly from, set the prices I’m willing to pay, and it pings me the moment prices fall. No more guesswork, no more endless refreshing.
On Travel Tuesday, this makes the difference between missing out and locking in the year’s cheapest flights.
Best Travel Tuesday Finds
To give you an idea of how good these deals can get, here are some of the real bargains RatePunk users (including me) spotted last year – many gone within hours. Here’s what RatePunk caught last year while others were still searching:
- New York → Paris – $479 roundtrip (normally $680)
- Los Angeles → Tokyo – $389 roundtrip (normally $950)
- Miami → Rome – $319 roundtrip (normally $800)
- Chicago → Cancun – $229 roundtrip (normally $380)
- Dallas → Honolulu – $289 roundtrip (normally $540)
- Toronto → Lisbon – $299 roundtrip (normally $720)
- London → Athens – $92 roundtrip (normally $250)
These are exactly the kind of fares that vanish fast – unless you’ve got RatePunk watching for them.
The Day Airlines Hope You Forget About
Honestly, airlines don’t want everyone knowing about Travel Tuesday. The fewer people tracking, the more they profit.
But once you’re in on the secret – and you’ve got RatePunk running personalized searches in the background – you’re no longer at their mercy.
Final Thoughts
Black Friday may be noisy, but Travel Tuesday is the real travel hack. It’s calmer, smarter, and often even cheaper. For me, the combo is unbeatable: personalized alerts to catch price drops instantly, plus a dashboard that lets me search and plan my trips with zero stress.
👉 Pro tip: Don’t just stop at Black Friday. Set up your RatePunk alerts now and catch this year’s Travel Tuesday deals before they’re gone.
