Travel expert explains when to book holiday flights to avoid price hikes
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Lawyer explains your entitlements when your flight is delayed or cancelled
Lawyer explains your entitlements when your flight is delayed or cancelled. A total of 31.6 million UK passengers are expected to experience flight disruptions this year, based on historical data. Daniel McAfee, head of legal operations at Lawhive, said that many of these travellers could be due up to £520 in compensation. He explained that the only time you won’t be entitled to compensation for a delay or cancellation is if it’s because of something outside of the airline’s control, such as the weather. In almost every other case, though, passengers have multiple rights under both UK and EU law depending on the situation. The amount varies between £220 and £520, depending on flight distance and the delay in getting you to your final destination.
A lawyer is urging travellers to claim their dues if they’ve been impacted by flight delays or cancellations.
31.6 million UK travellers are predicted to experience flight disruptions this year (Image: GETTY)
A total of 31.6 million UK passengers are expected to experience flight disruptions this year, based on historical data. Daniel McAfee, head of legal operations at Lawhive, said that many of these travellers could be due up to £520 in compensation.
As a rule of thumb, the lawyer explained that the only time you won’t be entitled to compensation for a delay or cancellation is if it’s because of something outside of the airline’s control, such as the weather. In almost every other case, though, passengers have multiple rights under both UK and EU law depending on the situation
Your flight is cancelled and it’s the airline’s fault
If your flight is outright cancelled due to factors within the airline’s control, you should be offered a choice between getting a full refund of the cost of your flight and other unused flights in the same booking, such as returns, or alternative transport like being booked onto a different flight at the earliest opportunity.
Daniel said: “Additionally, if you choose to be re-routed on another flight, you may be entitled to care and assistance, which includes meals, refreshments, and, if necessary, accommodation while you wait for the new flight.”
You could also receive compensation within 14 days of the scheduled departure if the airline is at fault for the cancellation. Daniel explained: “The amount varies between £220 to £520, depending on the flight distance and the delay in getting you to your final destination.”
Your flight is delayed and it’s the airline’s fault
Daniel said: “If your flight arrives at your destination more than three hours late and the delay is the airline’s fault, you can claim compensation. The amount is also between £220 and £520, depending on the distance of the flight and the length of the delay.
“If your flight is delayed for three or more hours, you are entitled to compensation under the same conditions as for cancellations, provided the delay is within the airline’s control. Additionally, after a two-hour delay (for short-haul flights), the airline must provide care and assistance.”
This assistance can include meals, covering the cost of phone calls and accommodation if the delay extends to an overnight stay.
It isn’t the airline’s fault
The lawyer said: “When flights are cancelled or delayed due to air traffic control (ATC) issues, such as strikes, staffing shortages, or severe weather that restricts airspace usage, the situation falls under what are termed ‘extraordinary circumstances.’ These are situations beyond the airline’s control, which impact its ability to operate flights as scheduled.”
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In this case, airlines aren’t obligated to pay compensation, but you may be offered the opportunity to rebook an alternative flight. The airlines still have to provide care and assistance during delays that aren’t their fault.
The lawyer also set out your next steps if your flight is delayed or cancelled:
Travel hack: Experts reel out basic tricks that can fetch you cheaper airfares
Book flights on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and avoid the weekend rush. Google Flights says you can save up to 12 per cent on airfare if you book for these days, rather than the weekend. Airline marketing tricks include listing ‘only two seats left at this pric’ and ‘New Incognito Window’ on Safari. Booking sites, including Skyscanner, also notify customers when prices drop, which can be handy to know. If booking in August, Andrea advises against Sunday returns, which they say is ‘one of the priciest travel days’ The expert also warns against booking faraway airports for the cheaper fare, arguing that the travel cost getting there soon adds up.
Flight prices are another issue, and it can often feel like plane fares shoot up every time the website refreshes.
There are several ‘sneaky tricks’ booking websites can use to make the tickets more expensive.
Andrea Platania, a travel expert at Transfeero, explains how repeatedly searching the same route can cause prices to shoot up.
“It signals urgency, and the algorithms will exploit that,” they warn, according to the Mirror.
Another marketing strategy airlines sometimes use is listing “only two seats left at this pric”’.
The travel expert reveals this isn’t always true, and advises: “Don’t panic-book unless you’ve checked the same flight on a second device or different booking site”.
Prices also increase around weekends and bank holidays, which are often peak times to head away.
The rule is to book and travel on weekdays – Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays – and avoid the weekend rush.
According to the five-year data pulled by Google Flights recently, it’s been found that Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday are historically the cheapest days of the week to fly out, especially if you’re making an international trip.
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According to James Byers, group product manager at Google Flights, you can save up to 12 per cent on airfare if you book a flight for these particular days, rather than the weekend.
Several other reports have also claimed that flight fares are the cheapest on Tuesdays.
Andrea shares how holidaymakers can grab the best prices when booking flights and avoid the marketing tricks.
One technique the travel expert advises is searching for tickets in incognito mode.
They add: “Using incognito or private browsing stops airlines and booking platforms from tracking your search history and adjusting fares.”
The simple trick “only takes seconds, but it can save you hundreds,” Andrea says.
They explained tourists need to select the three dots at the top right of their screen and select ‘New Incognito Window’.
Alternatively, Safari users can select ‘Private Window’ by going through the File menu.
Booking sites, including Skyscanner, also notify customers when prices drop, which can be handy to know.
Andrea reveals another tip: “Cookies store your browsing behaviour, and travel sites can use that data to increase prices if they think you’re keen. Wipe them and you reset the game.”
When travellers plan to travel also massively impacts the price, with midweek and other less-desirable timings lowering costs.
If booking in August, Andrea advises against Sunday returns, which they say is “one of the priciest travel days”.
The expert also warns against booking faraway airports for the cheaper fare, arguing that the travel cost getting there soon adds up.
Want Super Cheap Tickets? Google Says Shop Flights on These Exact Days
CNET experts analyzed Google Flights’ latest travel report to pinpoint when ticket prices are lowest. Avoid peak booking windows and targeting specific days of the week can make a noticeable difference in price. According to Google, the cheapest flights are available when flying on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with Tuesday being the cheapest day. It’s better to book your travel far in advance, especially if you need to fly on a specific day or time, according to the Google report. For international flights, the prices are generally lowest between 50 and 101 days before your trip, but it’s generally best practice to book as early as you can, Google says. The cheapest domestic flights over the Thanksgiving holiday are usually available 26 to 59 days in advance; 45 days out is the best time to book Thanksgiving flights in early October. For more key travel tips, explore these travel essentials you need for every vacation and then take a look at this travel checklist. the best headphones for travel: CNET’s top picks for travel headphones.
Travel costs can skyrocket during busy seasons, but timing your booking right can help you save hundreds. CNET experts analyzed Google Flights’ latest travel report, which draws from four years of airfare trends, to pinpoint when ticket prices are lowest. The findings reveal some very clear patterns that can help you plan smarter, whether you’re chasing a last-minute deal or locking in your trip months ahead. It can help you get the cheapest flights possible.
According to the data, avoiding peak booking windows and targeting specific days of the week can make a noticeable difference in price. Small shifts in your travel dates or purchase timing can often be the key to landing the best fare. By applying these strategies, you can stretch your vacation budget further and enjoy your trip without worrying about overspending on airfare.
For more key travel tips, explore these travel essentials you need for every vacation and then take a look at this travel checklist. You should also review CNET’s roundup of the best headphones for travel.
What days are the cheapest to fly?
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If you’re planning to book a flight, you’re likely trying to find the most budget-friendly option. According to Google Flights, the cheapest flights are available when flying on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with Tuesday being the cheapest day, according to the historical flight data.
Flying early to midweek can save travelers 13% to 20% on airfare compared to flying on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, with Sunday the most expensive day to fly.
Do layovers on flights save you money?
It may come as no surprise that flights with layovers are cheaper than nonstop flights but you may not realize just how significant those savings can be. The Google Flight data shows that travelers can save 25% by booking a flight with a layover instead of a nonstop flight.
Which day of the week is the cheapest for booking flights?
There are certainly cheaper days to fly, there aren’t really cheaper days to book. “There’s not much benefit to buying your tickets on a certain day of the week,” according to the Google report.
Google Flights does state that Tuesdays are typically the cheapest day of the week to book, according to the data, but Tuesday bookings are only 1.3% cheaper than the most expensive day, Sunday.
Is it cheaper to book flights far in advance?
To wait or not to wait? According to Google, it’s better to book your travel far in advance, especially if you need to fly on a specific day or time. There are some patterns you can analyze to decide whether it’s better to wait for lower prices or book now based on specific scenarios, destinations and dates of travel.
For domestic flights, the prices are generally at their lowest between 21 and 52 days before your trip — with 38 days before departure being the cheapest day to book on average.
For international flights, the prices are generally lowest between 50 and 101 days before your trip, but it’s generally best practice to book as early as you can. According to Google, “Average prices don’t meaningfully drop anytime before departure but they usually do start to rise within 50 days of the flight itself” for international travel from the US.
Never miss out on the cheapest airfare again. Anton Petrus/Getty Images/Gianmarco Chumbe/CNET
When is the best time to book a flight in every season?
Here’s what Google says about the best times to book holiday flights and vacation trips to certain popular destinations.
Summer break: The cheapest domestic flights in July and August are usually available 13 to 43 days in advance, with 21 days before departure being the cheapest day on average to book.
Thanksgiving: The cheapest domestic flights over the Thanksgiving holiday are usually available 26 to 59 days in advance, with 45 days out being the cheapest — meaning it’s best to book Thanksgiving flights in early October.
Christmas: The cheapest domestic flights over the winter holidays are usually available 36 to 72 days in advance, with 58 days out being the cheapest. It’s best to book Christmas or holiday travel in the latter half of October.
Spring break: The cheapest domestic flights in March and April are available between 33 to 59 days in advance, with 44 days before departure being the cheapest time to book on average.
When is the best time to book a flight to Europe?
International flights to Europe from the US are usually cheaper 50 or more days before departure, with 94 days out being the cheapest day to book on average. As with all international travel, it’s generally best practice to book as early as you can.
When is the best time to book a flight to Mexico or the Caribbean?
International flights to Mexico and the Caribbean are the one exception to the broader international trend, according to Google. That’s because flights are generally at their lowest between 26 and 68 days in advance, with 44 days out being the cheapest.
For more, check out CNET’s picks for the best travel credit cards in 2025. You can also explore the 12 travel essentials you always need to pack and the worst airlines for flight delays and cancellations.
Money blog: £80 toy tops Christmas lists this year – not that there’s any point in Christmas now after what Quality Street has done
‘I’m a child psychiatrist – here’s my tip for parents and the one thing that can improve your mental health’ Each Monday, we speak to someone from a different profession to discover what it’s really like. This week we chat to consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Dr Guy Northover. The pay is good, but the career path is a long one… After five or six years at medical school, you are usually earning about £36,000. This salary goes up as you progress through the resident doctor stages to £70,000 – it takes a minimum of eight years. Once you become a consultant, the salary increases again, and for a full-time consultant you can expect to earn between £105,000 and £140,000 depending on experience. The biggest issue is the understanding of the difference between emotional wellbeing and mental health in children and young people. There has been a significant increase in mental health issues and a significant decrease in emotional wellbeing, but when the two things become confused, it makes support for both worse.
If you’ve ever spent your morning commute daydreaming about starting afresh with your career, this feature is for you. Each Monday, we speak to someone from a different profession to discover what it’s really like. This week we chat to consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Dr Guy Northover…
The pay is good, but the career path is a long one… After five or six years at medical school, you are usually earning about £36,000. This salary goes up as you progress through the resident doctor stages to £70,000 – it takes a minimum of eight years. Once you become a consultant, the salary increases again, and for a full-time consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, you can expect to earn between £105,000 and £140,000 depending on experience.
A great advantage of working in the NHS is that you get a really good pension… through a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme. This means that for each year of membership, a fraction of your pensionable earnings is added to your pension pot and then revalued annually until you retire. Contributions are tiered, starting at 5.5%; however, I contribute 12.5% of my salary to this pension, and my employer adds a further 22%.
Children and their families can be affected by money worries… Parents often need to stay at home to look after their children, taking them to appointments, which can require a lot of travel time and cost, while also taking a step back from work so that they can do this. Young people on the road to recovery won’t just need therapy or medication but also opportunities to engage with society through clubs, the gym and meeting friends which all ends up costing money as well.
My job does make me cry… I think that every child and adolescent psychiatrist will find themselves struggling with the emotions that arise out of supporting very unwell young people. Fortunately, this is well recognised, and in my experience, I have been supported right from the beginning of my training. Psychiatry trainees are expected to be part of support groups, we have peer supervision to discuss complex cases and the impact that it is having on us, and mentoring is encouraged at all levels of expertise. It’s important that psychiatrists (as well as the wider healthcare workforce) can access comprehensive mental health and wellbeing support. I know the college is calling for ring-fenced funding for this. Holidays and finding ways to relax outside work are also really important.
Demand for child and adolescent mental health services is far greater than what can presently be offered but… the biggest issue is the understanding of the difference between emotional wellbeing and mental health in children and young people. There has been a significant increase in mental health issues and a significant decrease in emotional wellbeing, but when the two things become confused, it makes support for both worse.
Emotional wellbeing can be how you feel about exams… peer pressure, how you cope with day-to-day challenges and how you recover from feeling sad. If this is seen as a mental illness, then there is a risk that people who could help (schools, parents, community support) feel that they cannot help, so you end up being referred for specialist help and waiting a lot longer for a level of support you may not need. On the other hand, if mental illness is seen as an emotional wellbeing problem, then you may not be referred for the right level of support and people may start thinking that feeling sad is the same thing as feeling severely depressed and set up the wrong services to help. This can lead to a situation where there is not enough expertise or services for people with severe depression, and those young people end up with support that does not help them. However, it is obviously the case at the moment that there are not enough child and adolescent mental health services to meet the level of need, and there is not a situation of overdiagnosis (most likely we are still underdiagnosing).
I would encourage parents to find time and space to talk to their child from an early age… let them build up the confidence to talk to you about difficult things when their life is going well so that when it is not going well, they are still able to talk to you. If your child is not talking to you as a parent, if you don’t know what their worries, fears, anxieties or ambitions and goals are, then they may have a lot going on that is affecting their emotional wellbeing.
The impact of social media is a really big subject… which does not have an easy answer. We are seeing more and more research showing that having a mobile phone and using social media at a young age may impact someone’s mental health but exactly why is still not clear. There are obvious things that can harm our mental wellbeing through social media, and we should absolutely be ensuring that young people are not exposed to these things, but there are also positives such as sharing useful information and experiences.
Parents and carers can support children with smartphones… by having open discussions about how they can stay safe on them and what they may encounter in online spaces. It’s also important to balance screen time with other activities such as socialising, exercising and sleep.
All the young people I see are memorable for one reason or another… and I believe that I learn from every young person I meet in clinic. Many of the young people I see are initially struggling with their own thoughts, not able to go to school, not able to leave their home. It is amazing to see them get better, recover and find themselves happy with their lives.
I focus on young people who are presenting with psychosis… Psychosis is a very severe symptom of mental illness where a person is not able to think clearly, and their brain starts making links between thoughts and ideas where there are no links. This usually results in someone believing that very strange things are happening when they are not and hearing/seeing things that are not there.
There has been a definite increase in the number of child/adolescent referrals for mental health difficulties… such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, autism and ADHD; however, there has not been an increase in psychosis.
The biggest source of stress for young people is… school. Of course, not every young person finds school stressful but when school goes wrong, either because of learning challenges or friendship challenges, it becomes hugely challenging. I think in part this is because of how society links poor school grades with failure (which it absolutely should not) and how you can no longer leave school problems at school.
As a young person, you are continuously linked to school through homework and social media… If you are bullied, this can now continue at home. If you are struggling at school, you are reminded of this both through the way homework is set through apps and through the social media messages of other young people who are not struggling.
One thing everyone can do to improve their mental health is… sport, sport and more sport! Sport is fantastic, it is an exercise which we know improves mental health, but it is also a social activity. Socialising improves mental health, gets us away from our phones and gets us fresh air.
We work in sessions that are each half a day… I complete 10 sessions every week, which equates to 40 hours or five days. On top of this, we usually do “on calls” which is out-of-hours work where we usually do not need to see a young person but may give telephone advice. This varies from area to area, but I am on call around two nights a month. We also get dedicated time for professional development to stay up to date. I use some of this time to be involved in research and some to work at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, which sets and aims to raise the standards of doctors in mental health care.
I usually get into the office between 8am and 9am… to check any emails I have received around my research and Royal College work. During the morning, I will see patients. I work in a very specialist team that does much longer complex assessments of young people, so I may see one new patient and review two patients I already know in a morning. I will also take some phone calls and talk to other members of the team about the young people we are supporting. In the afternoon, I will do management work, or I may have a clinical team meeting followed by a home visit.
One frustration is… the amount of paperwork that we have to do, so usually the last couple of hours of the day are spent writing up all the information about the young people I have seen. Additional admin support would help address these pressures and improve the day-to-day lives of psychiatrists.
People respond to mental health difficulties incredibly well with the right help… recovery is not just possible, it is expected. Being able to access evidence-based support early makes a world of difference.
Exact ‘cheapest days’ to book holiday flights
Exact ‘cheapest days’ to book holiday flights – and the days you must avoid. Fridays and Sundays are reportedly among the worst occasions to book flights due to peak demand. Statistics show that lower fares are actually more prevalent on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when purchases are likely to slump. Skyscanner recommends booking short-haul flights at least one to three months in advance to avoid heartache. Long-haul flight tickets should be booked between two and six months in front of a trip. The travel search engine analysed historical data to identify these patterns, while also addressing a long-debated question on vacation planning: is it better to book early or wait for last-minute sales? Google also offers a similar alert system as part of its own flight price monitoring tool.
Skyscanner has delved into its historic flight price data, unveiling the best and worst occasions to book holidays
Skyscanner recently delved into the patterns of previous ticket prices (stock image) (Image: Marchmeena29/Getty Images)
Bagging affordable flight deals can sometimes seem impossible, but help is here. Skyscanner has now unveiled the best and worst occasions to buy a ticket abroad, narrowing down the seasons and specific days of the week.
The travel search engine analysed historical data to identify these patterns, while also addressing a long-debated question on vacation planning: is it better to book early or wait for last-minute sales?
Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward answer to this, with Skyscanner stressing that it largely depends on the route. While quieter journeys or off-peak travel days may see plummeting prices close to the departure date, other favourite courses will likely see prices soar.
However, regardless of season, Fridays and Sundays are reportedly among the worst occasions to book flights due to peak demand. Statistics show that lower fares are actually more prevalent on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when purchases are likely to slump.
“Based on past pricing trends, fares have dropped on Tuesday mornings after Monday deal releases,” Skyscanner wrote last month. When asked if prices decrease nearer a departure date, it added: “Sometimes, especially if seats are still available.
“But prices also tend to rise as departure nears. Last-minute deals exist, but they’re never guaranteed. You can also use the Skyscanner Savings Generator to find the best time to book flights based on your route.”
Skyscanner recommends booking short-haul flights at least one to three months in advance to avoid heartache. Long-haul flight tickets should be booked between two and six months in advance of a trip.
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Travellers eager to monitor fluctuating flight prices can monitor these using Skyscanner’s alert system. This requires picking a route of interest and tapping the ‘Get Price Alerts’ button at the top left-hand side of the website screen.
Having a Skyscanner account is necessary to do this, as alerts will be sent to the email address used to sign up. Google also offers a similar alert system as part of its own flight price monitoring tool.
Google’s current advice reads: “You can track flight prices for specific dates or, if your plans are flexible, any dates. To get flight alerts for a specific round trip, choose your dates and flights and select Search. Then, you can turn on price tracking.”
It adds: “To find the cheapest fares, it’s usually best to book at least a few weeks in advance for domestic flights and a few months in advance for international travel.”
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For more information on Skyscanner’s price-tracking tool, click the link here.
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