Generally, the further in advance you book a flight the cheaper it will be. And you'll have a better chance at getting your choice of seating (in coach). Last minute flights are almost always more expensive unless you're on an empty plane, and you often get stuck in between crap sandwiches.
Go online and search through sites that aggregate fares and try to find the best prices as soon as possible. Also, since you're at least a little flexible with the days you travel, see if you can change up the dates as a test to determine which is the cheaper day to fly. Most of the time weekends are more expensive than week days, and holidays are always more expensive. Working around those typical highs can save you money.
But for sure, don't wait until the last moment.
Edit:
I probably don't need to add this, but the easiest route is to buy the fare online and just print out the itinerary. You bring it to the check in counter for your airline, check your luggage, and go to the terminal. I'm pretty sure most people do that now days, but I thought to add it just in case.
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