Best Time to Book Flights 2019

Our guide will show you the best time to book your short trips, summer holidays or weekends away!
Find tips and secrets from the industry experts.

According to our research, September is the cheapest month to book flights, so save on your Christmas holiday by booking early. Friday is the cheapest day to book flights. If you're thinking about going to France, book in November to save money on short-haul flights to Europe. However, if you're flying domestically, then save on flights by booking in April. If you fancy a long-haul flight out of Europe, November is the cheapest month for booking flights to Asia, America & more. When exactly is the best time to book your flight during the week? It turns out to be Friday! Try booking before the weekend to save the most on long and short-haul flights.

Generally the cheapest month to fly would be June, so book ahead to save the most for your summer holiday! Flights from the U.K in June average at 245 pounds, when compared to the most expensive month (December) that average reaches up to 330 pounds. Flying in June can mean savings of up to 100 pounds.

Choosing your holiday route is an important decision and the price of that flight is determined by when and where you travel. A London to Bucharest trip in December costs £263, but that number plummets to £111 in January. Seasonality and weather is a factor, for example, Birmingham to Barcelona can reach £181 in August, but that falls to £96 in November during the off-season. Domestically seasonality is less of an influence, Edinburgh to London would be £83 over Easter (April) and that rises to £115 in January. Another popular route, Manchester to Paris, fluctuates from £134 in January to £174 in July.

Booking flights in advance can save a lot of money, but exactly how far in advance? When is the best time to book those last-minute holidays? The general theory is that the more time in advance you book, the cheaper the flight will be; however, our data indicates otherwise. For example, when booking flights to America, you should book one month in advance for the cheapest flight to save over 130 pounds vs booking three months in advance. The best time for domestic flights to Bristol, Glasgow or London would be about eighty days in advance, for as little as twelve pounds. What about for outside the U.K? Find great beaches in Thailand and Malaysia for just 180 pounds. The same trip booked six months in advance would come up to almost double the prices. To Europe, enjoy the sights of Paris, Rome & Barcelona by booking six months in advance, which would be double the price if booked in half the time. And finally, see the wonders of Australia and New Zealand for as little as four hundred pounds if booked one month in advance.

• Try and be flexible during your dates and fly during the week. Flying out early or late at night can also offer cheaper options.
• Fly during off-peak times, avoid school holidays, long weekends and general holidays such as Easter and Christmas.
• Low cost airlines tend to use airports slightly outside of city centres, using these airports can often lead to a saving when booking a flight.