Best Time to Call

Last updated: March 19, 2026

Timing matters more than most people realize. Calling the IRS at 7:01 a.m. on a Wednesday in June is a completely different experience than calling at noon on a Monday in April. Here's every agency and company we cover, with the best and worst times to call and average hold times — all in one place.

Government Agencies

Agency	Best Time	Worst Time	Avg Hold	Guide
IRS	Wed–Fri, 7 a.m.	Mon morning, Jan–Apr	30–90 min	Hold times · Full guide
Social Security	Wed–Fri, 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m.	Monday, 1st week of month	30–90 min	Hold times · Full guide
DMV	Mid-week, mid-morning	Monday, lunch hour	15–60 min	Hold times · Full guide
USCIS	Thu–Fri, late afternoon	Monday morning	30–120 min	Hold times · Full guide
Medicare	Early morning or late evening	Oct–Dec (open enrollment)	15–45 min	Hold times · Full guide
VA	Wed–Thu, mid-morning	Monday morning	15–45 min	Hold times · Full guide
Passport Office	Early morning, outside spring	Mar–Jun (peak travel season)	20–60 min	Full guide

Airlines

Airline	Best Time	Worst Time	Avg Hold	Guide
United Airlines	Before 8 a.m. or late evening	During weather events, holidays	15–60 min	Hold times · Full guide
Delta Air Lines	Early morning or late evening	Mid-day, holiday weekends	10–45 min	Hold times · Full guide

Internet & Cable Providers

Provider	Best Time	Worst Time	Avg Hold	Guide
Comcast / Xfinity	Weekday mornings, Tue–Thu	Monday, evenings, after outages	15–40 min	Hold times · Full guide
Spectrum	Mid-morning, Tue–Thu	Monday, evenings	10–30 min	Hold times · Full guide

General Timing Tips

Call right when lines open. The first 15 minutes after opening are almost always the shortest wait. Set an alarm.
Mid-week is better than Monday. Mondays are the busiest day for nearly every call center. Wednesday and Thursday are typically the quietest.
Avoid the first of the month. Government agencies see a spike in calls around benefit payment dates, which cluster in the first week of each month.
Avoid seasonal peaks. Tax season (Jan–Apr) for the IRS, open enrollment (Oct–Dec) for Medicare and insurance, spring/summer for passports. If your call can wait, wait.
Late afternoon is underrated. Many people give up calling after lunch. The 4–6 p.m. window is often surprisingly empty.
Weather creates airline surges. Airline hold times can go from 10 minutes to 3 hours during a major storm. If your flight isn't affected, wait a day to call about non-urgent issues.

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