When to book my ticket?

I have read that about 12 weeks out, but this is not a hard and fast rule.

Personally, i like to buy the airfare sooner than later once i know my dates. That is because there are limited seats.

I suggest that you use kayak and get quotes for May 28, June 28, July 28, Aug 28, Sept 28 and Oct 28 and compare. This will give you an idea of prices 1-6 months out. I appreciate there will be seasonal differences. However, if your Aug 28 price today is not out of line from those other prices, then i would just buy and have the peace of mind that the airfare is taken care of.

PS you should also use a site like: http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ to see if there may be a lower airfare if you leave or return a few days earlier or later.

EDIT: Here is an article about an Expedia study which claims 171 days out is average lowest: http://www.businessinsider.com/expedia-heres-when-you-should-buy-plane-tickets-2014-12

But i have also seen 3 weeks and 57 days. So you never know. Booking airfare is the first major vacay commitment for me. I can always save a few bucks on a cheap eats to average down later.

I'd check the same day of the week that you want to fly, not the same calendar date (28th). Mid-week is usually a little cheaper, but of course this may vary. If you can maintain a bit of flexibility you might find Tuesday to be cheaper than Monday to fly. It depends on what is more important to you, price or schedule. When you search for flights, check the box for flexible dates so you can see a matrix or calendar view of prices around the day you want to fly.

Nobody knows "when it's the cheapest"....you have to track fares over time to gauge what's a good fare for you. There's no silver bullet because fares can change multiple times a day. The more flexible you are on dates (i.e. using flexible as opposed to hard dates), connections, airlines, and airports used, the more likely you can get a better price.

[For the US market]: I usually check airfares after purchase (even though that's a fool's game) and unless you live in a place with 6 or more international airlines, fares practically always are cheapest more than 6 months in advance. Never for me has buying 9 months in advance backfired, although the trough of fares mid-November last year stung a lot of people, even those near large international airports.

I've never seen any online article of "when it's best to buy" that held up other than that for South America, buying too early is usually the wrong thing to do.

Probably shouldn't admit this, but decided to download the Skyscanner app to set up some price alerts. But I could figure out how to get it to work! I wanted the low price for a certain city pair, not for a specific itinerary. Oh well.

I don't know how you could "finalize" the dates of your trip when you don't even have airfare yet.

1) Decide what dates you would RATHER have
2) Search airfare around those dates and be flexible for 3 days on either side
3) Book Airfare
4) Decide on your itinerary and possible sights to see
5) Book Hotels
6) Decide on your transportation (train, plane car)
7) Book train/plane tix as early as possible for best price

Now - you can say your well prepared. I'm not sure anything is ever finalized until you touch down back home AFTER your trip.

I would start looking, have an idea what you want to pay, and when you see it, go for it. Don't keep looking for the "best" price. I'm always glad to put that part of the planning behind me.

I signed up for alerts for Google flights. I found them helpful

Depending on where you live, the flights out of Canada can be cheaper.

What Tom_MN said.

Booking your flight for the right price requires patience. Be ready to book when you see a schedule and price that matches your budget. Only you know what works. For me I will spend $300+ for a nonstop from San Francisco-Paris.

To me the extra $$$$ to get a nonstop vs 1 stop saves me not only time but allows me to sleep in.

For instance this year I booked the nonstop Air France flight leaving SFO at 3:10 PM arriving 10:50 AM the next morning and then a 3:40 PM flight from Olry-Biarritz. On the return I got the 10:10 AM flight from CDG arriving SFO at 12:30 PM

I chose these times to avoid rush hour traffic especially on a Friday. I like to arrive 3-4 hours before check in so I can arrive SFO around 11:00 AM and on the return CDG at 6:30 AM -7:00 AM.

My Parents are connecting through Dallas going and London on the return and arrive Paris at 9:40 AM but need to be at the airport by 4:00 AM for checkin.

For me if I can sleep until 8:00 AM have breakfast after a normal sleep then I am fine and on the return early morning is not too bad as Westbound you gain time. Then I can arrive at 12:30 PM and be home by 2:00-2:30 with Global Entry and have the rest of the afternoon at leisure to await my Parents who arrive at 7:30 PM by the time they are home its 9:00 PM.

I don't mind later evening arrivals but its so nice to have a walk in the sun when I arrive at both destinations and my day starts at the normal time.

If the price is $300 + to get a Non Stop its worth it as your baggage will have more of a chance to make the flight, you don't have to worry about clearing customs at another US airport. For me if I need to make a connection I do it in Europe and even would go as far as to do the US Pre Clearance at Dublin if need be and enter the US as a Domestic passenger rather than go via JFK to SFO.

You do yourself a favor to sleep more on the flight if its nonstop rather than have to break it up in New York then another 4 hour layover it all adds up.

Not everyone is retired.....
People finalize dates for trips before buying airfare for various reasons. Perhaps their vacation dates request was just approved at work. Perhaps they are coordinating the trip with others or a specific event at the destination.

It is true that flexibility in dates might allow for less expensive airfare, but there may well be legitimate reasons while one might finalize dates before buying airfare. I am pretty sure everyone on a Rick Steves Tour is in that boat.