After a long (cold, wet, we could go on…) winter, you’re probably gearing up to escape the not-so exotic climes of the UK for something a little more exotic. If you don’t fancy spending the best part of your monthly salary getting to your destination, however, you’ll need to pick the dates of your holiday wisely.
It’s generally received wisdom that the months of the school summer holidays, July and August, are when demand for travel reaches a peak, so prices shoot up to match the demand. After analysing the prices for thousands of summer flights, CheapAir.com have pinpointed the cheapest dates to fly throughout the summer months (so you have more money to spend when you actually arrive in that tropical paradise).
‘The data clearly shows the best value for summer travel can be found the first half of June,’ the CEO of CheapAir, Jeff Klee, told Condé Nast Traveller. 6th June is singled out as the cheapest day to fly on, while 9th July is the most expensive.
July is the priciest of the summer months, meaning that if your holidays are still dictated by school or university terms, you’re better off booking in August (with 22nd August marked out as the cheapest date).
‘August and September are better months for travel than July in general,’ Klee adds. ‘August airfares are, on average, about seven percent less expensive than July. You can really save money by avoiding July travel.’
To further cut costs, it’s worth considering a mid-week journey rather than a weekend departure.
‘It’s pretty typical that mid-week flights are often priced better,’ Klee explains. ‘Tuesday and Wednesday flights are the best value all summer long, while weekend days are at a premium.’ Opting for a Tuesday or Wednesday flight could save your nearly £50, according to CheapAir’s reckoning. If you do have to travel over the weekend, opt for Saturday over Sunday: surprisingly, it’s often the more affordable option.
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