Every year, airfare expert and FareCompare CEO Rick Seaney comes out with a list of magical dates to fly. The magic? Cheap ticket prices. “I don’t have a complete list for this year, yet,” said Seaney “because airlines don’t begin actively managing prices until about three months ahead [for domestic fares]. But I can get you started.”

LISTEN: Rick Seaney has more details.

Save Up to 50% on Spring Break

The week-long U.S. vacation period known as Spring Break generally falls between late February and early April, varying by region and as analyst Rick Seaney notes, “You better believe the airlines know exactly when each and every Spring Break period occurs.” Prices typically rise sharply during these weeks, but there is one way to save:

• Fly on Tuesday of your Spring Break week, return on Saturday. “By avoiding weekend-to-weekend flights, you can save up to 50 percent or more,” said Seaney.
  

You can begin shopping for Spring Break fares now.

Save Up to 40% on Flights to & from Europe

There are two magic dates for U.S. departures to cities in Europe – or from Europe to the U.S.

• May 14: Pay 20 to 30 percent less by departing on May 14 instead of May 15.
• Aug 23: Pay almost 40 percent less by departing on Aug. 23 instead Aug. 22.

In both cases, the dates are right on the cusp of seasonal price changes. Higher, near-peak summer prices kick in on May 15 while Aug. 23 marks the start of the cheaper fall season. You will also find savings roughly during these periods on flights out of Asia.

General Guidelines for Cheapest Summer Fares

If you can take an early or late summer vacation, you will save money. Examples:

• Fly up to the first week in June:This is when higher, domestic summer fares begin.
• Fly after the third week in August:This is typically when prices drop for fall.

But don’t buy tickets just yet.

When to Shop

You can wait until March to shop for  early summer trips.

• When to buy: Start shopping 3 months before departure, complete purchase by 30 days before.
• When to fly: When traveling in the U.S. fly Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday.

Again, for summertime travel in the U.S. there’s no rush. Suggestion: Start perusing all the deals out there – then, start dreaming.