When is the best time to fly? Experts settle the debate once and for all

There’s no feeling quite like booking a holiday – research has shown that planning a trip or choosing a hotel alone can increase dopamine levels before you even travel. But figuring out exactly what time to book a flight for can be tricky. Travel too early, and you risk being exhausted when you arrive. Too late, and you’ll miss out on valuable holiday time. Flying on weekends tends to be more expensive, but travelling on weekdays eats into your annual leave allowance. There’s lots to consider, so we asked travel experts and editors to let us in on their top tips on the best times to fly. For more advice, check out our guide on the best time to book a flight or read about the best ways to find cheap flights.

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What is the best time of day to fly?

Early morning

An early morning flight can have lots of perks. You’ll avoid the rush hour traffic and the manic security queues; you’ll be first in line for a coffee when you arrive at the airport, and, if you’re travelling short haul, you have the whole day ahead of you once you land. Equally, there is a reduced chance of flight delays for early morning flights. “If travelling short-haul, I think first thing in the morning is the best time to fly as aircrafts usually have better punctuality at that time because they are the first flight out of the airport,” says Paul Charles, former Virgin Atlantic Director and CEO of travel consultancy The PC Agency. “The later in the day you fly, the more chance the aircraft would have been held up somewhere else from an earlier flight.”

“Even though I hate waking up so early, I try to fly as early as possible on the way out to maximise time on holiday,” says Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveller’s commerce writer.

Midday

Flying throughout the day is a much more civilised way to travel. There are no daunting wake-up times or exhausting late-night arrivals, and you arrive feeling much more refreshed. The flight becomes part of the holiday, and the excitement builds as you join the throngs of fellow travellers as they go on their adventures.

“I used to opt for the early flight out and late flight back, but I’ve recently decided it’s not worth it,” says Sarah James, Condé Nast Traveller’s deputy digital editor. “Now, I choose a mid-morning flight out, and I like to land at lunchtime when I return. If you fly out early, you’re shattered throughout your first day, so you don’t have as much fun anyway, and if you fly back late, you’re typically just waiting around, luggage in tow, until it’s time to head to the airport. Plus you’ll be exhausted the whole of the next week.”

Evening

Evening flights can be great if you’re looking for a cheaper option. Kayak, a travel search engine, showed us data that proved that “flights are typically cheaper if you fly early in the day or land late.” Plus, they’re ideal if you’re looking to travel after work and arrive in time for a late-night bite. “If it’s short haul, I like to fly in the early evening so I can go after work,” says Abigail Malbon, CNT’s global audience growth manager. “Similarly, with long distances, catching a flight overnight is better so I can get a good night’s sleep and start adjusting to the time at the location I’m travelling to.”