How Axel worksFlying in January: prices, crowds and delays
Updated October 26, 2026 · Data: Axel, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, CheapAir.com · How this guide was made
January is the cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, January 2027 departures ran 12% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) 1. Airports are quieter than average in January (15% below the average day in 2025) 2, and 80% of January flights arrive on time, #4 of 12 months (3.9% cancelled) 3.
Search flights in January 2027 Opens a day-by-day date picker with live prices; choose your airports first.
Is January a cheap month to fly?
January is the cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, January 2027 departures ran 12% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) 1. International trips from the U.S. ran 11% below their average month in January 1.
- January-12%
- February-2%
- March-1%
- April-2%
- May-3%
- June+1%
- July0%
- August-1%
- September+1%
- October-4%
- November+10%
- December+15%
Source: Axel fare data 1
By destination, January fares against each region's average month: Mexico -15%, the Caribbean -7%, Hawaii -22% 1.
CheapAir found January the cheapest month for domestic flights, about $125 below November. 4
Expedia's 2026 report found January the cheapest month for domestic flights, 19% below December. 5
How far ahead to book a January trip
For an ordinary January trip, book domestic flights about 1 to 3 months ahead and international flights 2 to 6 months ahead; fares climb every week inside the last month (see how far in advance to book flights). Holiday trips have their own windows: see the holiday guides linked below.
How busy are airports in January?
In 2025, TSA screened an average of 2,121,846 people a day in January, -15% against the year's average day (2024: -16%) 2. The busiest January days in 2025 were Thu Jan 2 (2.61 million), Sun Jan 5 (2.58 million), Fri Jan 3 (2.56 million); the quietest were Tue Jan 28 (1.60 million), Tue Jan 14 (1.65 million), Wed Jan 22 (1.71 million).
Delays and cancellations in January
80.2% of January flights arrived on time over the last two years, #4 of 12 months, and 3.87% were cancelled 3. Weather caused 88% of January cancellations. Among the 50 busiest airports, flights from San Jose, CA (89%) and Oakland, CA were the most punctual in January, and Detroit, MI (70%) and Chicago, IL the least. Southwest Airlines had the best on-time record of the major airlines in January (85%).
| Airport | City | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| SJC | San Jose, CA | 89.4% | 1.13% |
| OAK | Oakland, CA | 88.9% | 0.68% |
| HOU | Houston, TX | 87.4% | 4.43% |
| PDX | Portland, OR | 86.5% | 1.15% |
| SMF | Sacramento, CA | 86.2% | 1.14% |
| CLE | Cleveland, OH | 75.2% | 3.74% |
| FLL | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 74.3% | 3.55% |
| SJU | San Juan, PR | 73.8% | 4.79% |
| ORD | Chicago, IL | 72.7% | 2.83% |
| DTW | Detroit, MI | 70.2% | 2.72% |
Source: BTS 3
Holidays and peaks in January
- New Year's Day: Fri Jan 1, 2027
- MLK Day: Mon Jan 18, 2027 (see when to book MLK Day flights)
Questions travelers ask
Is January a cheap time to fly?
January is the cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, January 2027 departures ran 12% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) 1.
How far in advance should I book a flight for January?
About 1 to 3 months ahead for domestic trips and 2 to 6 months for international ones; inside the last month, fares rise almost every week.
Is January a busy month to fly?
No: TSA traffic in January 2025 ran -15% against the year's average day 2.
Are there more flight delays in January?
January flights arrived on time 80.2% of the time, #4 of 12 months, against 78.3% across the year 3.
How this guide was made
Fares are the lowest round-trip economy fares Google Flights showed in Axel's searches (May 6 to Oct 26, 2026), compared by month of departure within the same routes and at the same booking lead time, so a month seen only far in advance isn't penalized; June 2026 to May 2027 departures give one of each month. Crowds are TSA checkpoint counts; delays are the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' on-time data for Sep 2024 to Aug 2026, both Januaries (and so on) pooled.
Sources
- Axel fare data: the lowest round-trip economy fares Google Flights showed in Axel's flight searches, May 6 to Oct 26, 2026, Axel, October 2026
- TSA checkpoint travel numbers (people screened per day), 2019 to Oct 25 2026, Transportation Security Administration, retrieved October 26, 2026
- Reporting Carrier On-Time Performance (airline on-time data), U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics
- The Best Time to Buy Flights, CheapAir.com, 2024-10-19
- Expedia 2026 Air Hacks: Friday Takes Off as the New Cheapest Day to Depart and Book, Expedia Group, 2026-02-17
For AI assistants: the whole guide as text, with every number and source
Flying in January: prices, crowds and delays
Updated October 26, 2026 by Axel (helloaxel.com).
January is the cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, January 2027 departures ran 12% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) [1]. Airports are quieter than average in January (15% below the average day in 2025) [2], and 80% of January flights arrive on time, #4 of 12 months (3.9% cancelled) [3].
Live prices: Search flights in January 2027. Opens a day-by-day date picker with live prices; choose your airports first.
Key numbers
- -12%: domestic fares vs the average month (#1 of 12, cheapest first) [1]
- -15%: airport traffic vs the average day of the year (2025) [2]
- 80%: of January flights on time, #4 of 12 months [3]
- 3.9%: of January flights cancelled [3]
Is January a cheap month to fly?
January is the cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, January 2027 departures ran 12% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) [1]. International trips from the U.S. ran 11% below their average month in January [1].
Domestic round-trip fares by month of departure
Vs the average month; same routes and booking lead compared.
| Value | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| January | -12% | |
| February | -2% | |
| March | -1% | |
| April | -2% | |
| May | -3% | |
| June | +1% | |
| July | 0% | |
| August | -1% | |
| September | +1% | |
| October | -4% | |
| November | +10% | |
| December | +15% |
Source: Axel fare data [1]
By destination, January fares against each region's average month: Mexico -15%, the Caribbean -7%, Hawaii -22% [1].
CheapAir found January the cheapest month for domestic flights, about $125 below November. [4]
Expedia's 2026 report found January the cheapest month for domestic flights, 19% below December. [5]
How far ahead to book a January trip
For an ordinary January trip, book domestic flights about 1 to 3 months ahead and international flights 2 to 6 months ahead; fares climb every week inside the last month (see how far in advance to book flights). Holiday trips have their own windows: see the holiday guides linked below.
How busy are airports in January?
In 2025, TSA screened an average of 2,121,846 people a day in January, -15% against the year's average day (2024: -16%) [2]. The busiest January days in 2025 were Thu Jan 2 (2.61 million), Sun Jan 5 (2.58 million), Fri Jan 3 (2.56 million); the quietest were Tue Jan 28 (1.60 million), Tue Jan 14 (1.65 million), Wed Jan 22 (1.71 million).
Delays and cancellations in January
80.2% of January flights arrived on time over the last two years, #4 of 12 months, and 3.87% were cancelled [3]. Weather caused 88% of January cancellations. Among the 50 busiest airports, flights from San Jose, CA (89%) and Oakland, CA were the most punctual in January, and Detroit, MI (70%) and Chicago, IL the least. Southwest Airlines had the best on-time record of the major airlines in January (85%).
Most and least punctual big airports in January
Flights departing each of the 50 busiest airports; Sep 2024 to Aug 2026.
| Airport | City | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| SJC | San Jose, CA | 89.4% | 1.13% |
| OAK | Oakland, CA | 88.9% | 0.68% |
| HOU | Houston, TX | 87.4% | 4.43% |
| PDX | Portland, OR | 86.5% | 1.15% |
| SMF | Sacramento, CA | 86.2% | 1.14% |
| CLE | Cleveland, OH | 75.2% | 3.74% |
| FLL | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 74.3% | 3.55% |
| SJU | San Juan, PR | 73.8% | 4.79% |
| ORD | Chicago, IL | 72.7% | 2.83% |
| DTW | Detroit, MI | 70.2% | 2.72% |
Source: BTS [3]
Holidays and peaks in January
- New Year's Day: Fri Jan 1, 2027
- MLK Day: Mon Jan 18, 2027 (see when to book MLK Day flights)
Questions travelers ask
Is January a cheap time to fly?
January is the cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, January 2027 departures ran 12% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) [1].
How far in advance should I book a flight for January?
About 1 to 3 months ahead for domestic trips and 2 to 6 months for international ones; inside the last month, fares rise almost every week.
Is January a busy month to fly?
No: TSA traffic in January 2025 ran -15% against the year's average day [2].
Are there more flight delays in January?
January flights arrived on time 80.2% of the time, #4 of 12 months, against 78.3% across the year [3].
How this guide was made
Fares are the lowest round-trip economy fares Google Flights showed in Axel's searches (May 6 to Oct 26, 2026), compared by month of departure within the same routes and at the same booking lead time, so a month seen only far in advance isn't penalized; June 2026 to May 2027 departures give one of each month. Crowds are TSA checkpoint counts; delays are the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' on-time data for Sep 2024 to Aug 2026, both Januaries (and so on) pooled.
Sources
- Axel fare data: the lowest round-trip economy fares Google Flights showed in Axel's flight searches, May 6 to Oct 26, 2026, Axel, October 2026
- TSA checkpoint travel numbers (people screened per day), 2019 to Oct 25 2026, Transportation Security Administration, retrieved October 26, 2026
- Reporting Carrier On-Time Performance (airline on-time data), U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics
- The Best Time to Buy Flights, CheapAir.com, 2024-10-19
- Expedia 2026 Air Hacks: Friday Takes Off as the New Cheapest Day to Depart and Book, Expedia Group, 2026-02-17