Timing really is everything. If you’ve ever wondered when the ideal time to book your trip is – or when the best days to fly are – KAYAK has analysed millions of online flights to find out the answers for you. With just a little forward planning, you can save a lot of money.
When to book the best fare in advance
For the majority of long-distance flights, planning is required well in advance. KAYAK recommends that on average, British travellers should book around three months ahead of their departure date. Some destinations require very extensive planning, with the best online flight deals for Asia found seven months in advance.
For South America and the Middle East, the most attractive prices for can be found around five months in advance, four months in advance for the Caribbean, and three months in advance for Central America and the South Pacific. Travellers can be more spontaneous for trips to Europe and North America, with best prices as late as two weeks before travel.
| Region | Time before travel |
| North America | 2 weeks |
| Central America | 3 months |
| Africa | 2 months |
| Asia | 7 months |
| Caribbean | 4 months |
| Europe | 1 month |
| South America | 5 months |
| Middle East | 5 months |
| South Pacific | 3 months |
When to fly: the best weekday for departure and return flights
On all long-distance routes, flying in the middle of the week is the cheapest option. Generally you will land the cheapest flights if you depart on Thursday and return between Tuesday and Thursday.
| Region | Depart | Return |
| North America | Wednesday | Tuesday |
| Central America | Thursday | Tuesday |
| Africa | Monday | Thursday |
| Asia | Tuesday | Tuesday |
| Caribbean | Thursday | Thursday |
| Europe | Thursday | Sunday |
| South America | Thursday | Monday |
| Middle East | Wednesday | Monday |
| South Pacific | Tuesday | Wednesday |
While travelling on the weekend is generally more expensive – a lucky exception exists for those long weekends in Europe. Here, the best combination is departing on Thursday and returning on Sunday, just in time for the beginning of a new week.
* All results are based on return flight searches from November 2013 to February 2015 on KAYAK.co.uk from the UK, for travel dates between November 11, 2013 and February 2015.
(Preview photo cred: iStock.com/de-kay)
