Waiting To Buy Flights Makes These Destinations More Expensive

Flying is expensive - especially if you're traveling internationally.

Most of us would rather spend our travel budgets being there rather than getting there, so any insight into saving money on plane tickets is welcome.

The latest comes from a study by flight data site Hopper, which analyzed over 300 million flight searches in a three-month period. They found that not only do Americans spend about 12 days looking for and comparing flights before ultimately buying one, but also in that time, flight prices typically rise 4.5% (which usually translates to about $10-$15, depending on the fare).

Of course, how much you pay is closely related to where you fly. In cities where airfare is highly variable, it's more likely that the price will rise as you procrastinate.

Which cities are those? For domestic flights in the U.S., they are:

1. Washington (IAD)

2. Chicago (ORD)

3. Myrtle Beach (MYR)

4. Oakland (OAK)

5. Los Angeles (LAX)

6. Santa Ana (SNA)

7. New Orleans (MSY)

8. Chicago (MDW)

9. Kansas City (MCI)

10. Washington (DCA)

For international flights from the U.S., they are:

1. Amsterdam (AMS)

2. Beijing (PEK)

3. Toronto (YYZ)

4. Istanbul (IST)

5. Athens (ATH)

6. Rome (FCO)

7. Paris (CDG)

8. Manila (MNL)

9. Dublin (DUB)

10. Shanghai (PVG)

If you're flying to any of the above airports, be aware that stalling could cost you money. On the flip side, check out the most stable destinations - those where procrastinating may cost you the least - on Hopper's website.

In the meantime, take a minute to figure out whether you're one of the people who should book Thanksgiving flights immediately, and peek at the U.S. airports with the cheapest average airfare.