Tourists should never book flights that depart after 15:00 as they are more likely to be canceled. The best departure time is in the morning.
Chaos at airports this summer has led to delays or cancellations for many travelers, with travelers in Europe particularly hard hit. The airlines tried their best to provide services that meet the demand in the summer peak time, but the lack of staff and the strike prevented them from fulfilling their obligations to the full extent.
Some of those affected may now refuse to fly altogether for fear that this nightmare of waiting could happen again. However, there is a way to halve your chances of a delayed or canceled flight, and it’s pretty easy to do.
By booking flights departing early in the day, passengers have a better chance of traveling without any problems. A study by travel booking site Expedia found that later flights are often the most problematic. Flights departing after 3 pm have the highest chance of cancellations – on average 50% higher than those departing earlier in the day.
However, there are even more accurate calculations of when it is best to fly. According to data provided by FlightRadar24, which analyzed flight cancellations this summer, the best time to fly is late morning between 11 am and 12 am.
An average of only 28 flights were canceled during this window, or 0.75% of scheduled departures, making this the best time to fly. Meanwhile, the time between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM was cited as the worst time to fly. At that time, there was a mass cancellation of flights – 138 airliners “did not fit” into their schedule. This was an average of 3% of all flights at that time. Expedia’s research also found that day travelers booking their flights can have a significant impact on ticket prices.
Another important fact is the day of departure. It turns out that those who book their flights every Sunday, rather than every Friday, tend to save an average of about 20% on domestic flights. The same is true for international flights, where Sunday bookings are on average 10% cheaper than Friday bookings.
The choice of departure day can also have a significant impact on ticket prices. Overall, travelers who started their domestic trips on Saturday saw 20% savings on flights compared to earlier in the week. On international flights, travelers departing on Friday saved an average of 15%.
Choosing the best time of year can also increase your chances of having a smooth flight and saving money. Evidence has shown that avoiding peak travel periods can have more benefits than cost savings. Historically, March is the most reliable month for travel, with the lowest average delays, compared to July with the highest average of 184 minutes.