But really when is the best time to book a flight! For years I have researched to the ends of the earth in search of the answer, and to find out how, when and where to book flights in order to keep them cheap and cheerful. And for anyone like me, the money conscious, it’s a battle worth fighting every time in order to get the best deal on a flight. But what do statistics say? The best starting place is looking at flight comparison sites. In order to answer this old age question I have teamed up with Opodo to find out the answer: when is the best time to book flights?
Discover the cheapest days to book your holiday: Saturday & Sunday
It’s thought to be a fairly benign factor when considering the cheapest time to book flights but the data shows otherwise. The best time to book a holiday is Saturday and Sunday. Booking on Saturday saves the average passenger 3.95% (5.78% domestic, 3.43% short haul, 2.63% long haul) while Sunday is 3.37% cheaper (6.68% domestic, 2.58% short haul, 0.84% long haul).
The best months to book cheap flights: September & October
It’s no secret that high seasons and low seasons dictate a great swing in flight prices. The best time to book flights fall much like the leaves: in September and October. Book in October to save 10.6% (13.89% domestic, 13.29% short haul, 4.62% long haul) or in September to save 10.18% (9.07% domestic, 13.67%, 7.81% long haul) off the yearly average price.
The top destinations to fly to from the UK
Knowing the cheapest time to book flights won’t do you a lot of good without a destination.Pick from one of UK’s most popular tourist destinations according to Opodo’s 2016 statistics.
The most popular destinations in Europe
Getting outside your comfort zone in Europe is never a bad idea. Among the hundreds of holiday choices Opodo travellers took Barcelona as their number one destination. Paris came in at second while Amsterdam got number three.
Top long haul destinations for your holidays
If you’re looking for a little something more than a budget airline hop to the continent then check out some of the heavy hitters. Opodo travellers can’t get enough of New York, Dubai and Hong Kong. Rounding out the top five are Bangkok and Toronto.
So basically book your flights on a Saturday in October, be flexible with dates, book your holiday time off work to fit with the flights (not vice versa), avoid school holidays and sign up to email alerts for great deals, drops in prices and rewards.
*Flight price analysis: The best time to book flights. Included in this study were return-flights departing from UK to all destinations from November 2015 to October 2016.
