We could all do with knowing when the cheapest time to book your flight is.

What’s the problem?

Research by global travel search site Skyscanner has revealed when to book flights and average fares, in order to help customers to save money on their travel in 2014. The study showed 88%* of travellers admitted they did not know, or were not sure, when the optimum time for booking flights was, while a further 79% wouldn’t know on first glance if a flight price offered good value. I count myself amongst those numbers. I have no idea.

So when is the best time?

The research revealed that the cheapest flight tickets from the UK are typically available five weeks in advance of travel, however three years of booking data also shows that price patterns can vary by type of airline and between short and long haul travel and so it does depend on destination

Flights to Spain were at their cheapest just five weeks before;  flights to USA should be booked more than four months before departure.  Customers looking to book flight to Turkey should be able to find the best prices 13 weeks before departure, while the best prices to Greece can be found  three weeks in advance.

“Customers need to understand that they are taking a gamble if they wait until closer to departure before booking and may find that they have missed the best flight prices.  Our analysis suggests that the best way to find a flight at the best price is to plan ahead and do your research.”

What is a good price?

The study found that researching flights was difficult for people, with almost 80% of travellers admitting they wouldn’t know on first glance if a fare offered good value for money.  To help with this  Skyscanner has provided the average August fares for the top 10 most popular summer destinations:

Britain’s leading Summer destinations	Average return flight price for summer pp	Best time to book (weeks before departure)
Greece	£228	3 weeks
Spain	£153	5 weeks
Portugal	£195	5 weeks
Turkey	£256	13 weeks
USA	£764	21 weeks
Cyprus	£251	4 weeks
France	£160	6 weeks
Croatia	£195	6 weeks
Italy	£185	6 weeks
Germany	£185	9 weeks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Hope that helps!

 There are also some simple rules to bear in mind to get the best price:

1.       Book smart: Avoiding peak season travel and flying at less popular hours of the day, can really help to lower costs.

2.       Be flexible:  Costs to different destinations can vary significantly depending on the airlines operating that route and the UK airports offering these flights. If you are planning your next trip but are open to destinations, running a search to ‘everywhere’ can help find the countries that offer the best value flights at any time.

3.       Compare and contrast: Using a travel comparison site like Skyscanner allows you to compare the widest range of airlines and online travel agents, so you’ll be able to see where you can get the best deal.

4.       Track prices Skyscanner’s analysis has found that keeping an eye on the flight prices a few months in advance of travel, is the best way to find a good value flight. Using a flight tracker price alert service, either by email or via the app can help monitor when prices drop on a chosen route.