Image: easyJet / Facebook.
A consumer watchdog analysed Skyscanner data from 2023 and 2024 to determine the best time to book flights for the lowest fares.
When is the best time to book a flight?
For an August summer holiday, the cheapest flights to Faro in the Algarve were found five weeks before departure. In contrast, travellers heading to Paris needed to book 26 weeks in advance—meaning now is the ideal time to start looking for summer flights.
For Easter travel, the research suggested booking 12 weeks ahead for Dublin or Valencia, while Berlin and Krakow required as much as 24 weeks for the best deals.
Those planning a December trip for Christmas shopping in New York or winter sun in Sydney or Bangkok needed to book in autumn. The cheapest flights for Sydney and Bangkok were found in September, while New York fares were lowest in mid-October.
Which is the cheapest month to fly?
January was the most budget-friendly month for flights, with off-season deals and March was the best time to fly to New York.
For a December trip, flights to Tenerife were best booked eight weeks in advance, while Nice required a longer lead time of 23 weeks to secure the lowest prices.
Naomi Leach, Deputy Editor of Consumer Watchdog Which? Travel, said: “Our research threw up some surprising results and suggests some holidaymakers could save significant sums of money by targeting the right time to book their flights.
“For those looking for a bargain trip, our findings show January is generally the cheapest time to fly short-haul, as long as you don’t mind the cold weather.
“It is worth setting up flight alerts with Google Flights or Skyscanner to track the best prices for your desired destination and find the best time to book a great deal.”
