Sometimes, the stress of planning a holiday is enough to put you off entirely. The excitement of choosing where to go quickly dissipates as soon as you see staggering airline prices, ridiculous departure times and cheeky extra baggage fees. Figuring out exactly what time to book a flight for can be tricky. Travel too early, and you risk being exhausted when you arrive. Too late, and you’ll miss out on valuable holiday time. Flying on weekends tends to be more expensive, but travelling on weekdays eats into your annual leave allowance. There is a lot to consider, so we asked travel experts and editors to let us in on their top tips on the best times to fly. For more advice, check out our guide on the best time to book a flight or read about the best ways to find cheap flights.
What is the best time of day to fly?
Early morning
An early morning flight can have lots of perks. You’ll avoid the rush hour traffic and the manic security queues; you’ll be first in line for a coffee when you arrive at the airport, and, if you’re travelling short haul, you have the whole day ahead of you once you land. Equally, there is a reduced chance of flight delays for early morning flights. “If travelling short-haul, I think first thing in the morning is the best time to fly as aircrafts usually have better punctuality at that time because they are the first flight out of the airport,” says Paul Charles, former Virgin Atlantic Director and CEO of travel consultancy The PC Agency. “The later in the day you fly, the more chance the aircraft would have been held up somewhere else from an earlier flight.”
“Even though I hate waking up so early, I try to fly as early as possible on the way out to maximise time on holiday,” says Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveller’s commerce writer. I'm with Charley here – once I'm awake, the excitement of going on holiday takes over and I soon forget how tired I am.
Sarah Bannerman, commerce editor, agrees. “There's something nostalgic about getting up when it's still dark to go to the airport – it reminds me of holidays with my family as a child. I also want to make the most of my time in a new destination. Hours are precious and I think it's efficient to be on the move when you'd otherwise be sleeping so you can hit the ground running (or hit that sun bed) as soon as you arrive.”
Midday
Flying throughout the day is a much more civilised way to travel. There are no daunting wake-up times or exhausting late-night arrivals, and you arrive feeling much more refreshed. The flight becomes part of the holiday, and the excitement builds as you join the throngs of fellow travellers as they go on their adventures.
“I used to opt for the early flight out and late flight back, but I’ve recently decided it’s not worth it,” says Sarah James, Condé Nast Traveller’s digital editor. “Now, I choose a mid-morning flight out, and I like to land at lunchtime when I return. If you fly out early, you’re shattered throughout your first day, so you don’t have as much fun anyway, and if you fly back late, you’re typically just waiting around, luggage in tow, until it’s time to head to the airport. Plus you’ll be exhausted the whole of the next week.”
Evening
Evening flights can be great if you’re looking for a cheaper option. Kayak, a travel search engine, showed us data that proved that “flights are typically cheaper if you fly early in the day or land late.” Plus, they're ideal if you’re looking to travel after work and arrive in time for a late-night bite. “If it’s short haul, I like to fly in the early evening so I can go after work,” says Abigail Malbon, CNT’s global audience growth manager. “Similarly, with long distances, catching a flight overnight is better so I can get a good night’s sleep and start adjusting to the time at the location I’m travelling to.”
Tamara, commerce producer, agrees. “For anything long-haul, a mid-morning flight is my favourite. It gives you enough time for a good breakfast (not to mention a good night’s sleep) and you’re not mentally preparing for it all day, ,” she says. “But, if I’m travelling anywhere within two or three hours, a post-work flight is my go-to: you touch down with no time to be tired, and just enough time to get ready for the evening ahead.”
What is the best day of the week to fly?
Tuesday
Deciding what day of the week is best to fly can be trickier than figuring out which flight time best suits you, as it relies more on other travellers’ decisions than your personal preference. According to Kayak, travellers can find “cheaper fares mid-week, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays often being more affordable days to fly out and return home.” Rachel Mumford, Kayak’s UK Travel Expert, tells us that “mid-week flights tend to be less popular amongst both leisure and business travellers, so airlines often lower prices to fill seats.”
“The best day of the week to fly, for leisure, is a Tuesday, in my view,” says Paul Charles. “This avoids the weekend city break travellers and the families, so you tend to get better seat availability. Having said that, it depends on the destination you’re going to.”
Friday
“Choosing which day to travel depends on the aim of your holiday,” Sophie Knight, CNT’s visuals editor, says. “If I’m doing a weekend away, I hate wasting valuable holiday days, so I try to book my flights accordingly – leaving Friday after work and returning late on a Sunday. Obviously, these tend to be the more expensive flights, so I try to keep an eye out for cheap flight deals.”
Sarah Allard, digital director, is with Sophie here. “I'm a big advocate of maximising annual leave and getting in as many trips in a year as my 25 days (and bank holidays) will allow. A European city break is hard to beat, so I'm more than happy to set my alarm for an ungodly hour on a Friday morning, whizz to the airport and jet off to my chosen destination in time for a mid-morning coffee and pastry.”
What is the best month of the year to fly?
October
“I think the best month of the year to fly for leisure is October,” says Paul. “It is past peak season, you still get frequent services before the winter timetable change, it’s still warm in Europe and getting warmer in Africa, and flight prices are more reasonable. But avoid the last week of October when it’s half-term as prices will be higher then.”
February
“I like to break up the long stretch of winter by travelling in February,” says Abigail. “The February weather in the UK is bleak, so I love the joy of leaving a rainy England and travelling to see the sun for the first time in months.” February, despite being the shortest month, is often the bleakest. After the long January stint, it's a welcome treat to escape the gloomy weather with a well-earned winter-sun break.