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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Travel
Hayley Spencer

The best times to book flights — including how you could save nearly £1.5K on a trip to the Maldives

There are two types of people at the airport: the ones who get there three hours early and the Type Bs of the world who think a single hour is plenty of time to navigate security, hit up Pret and meander onto the plane just before take-off. And likewise, there are two types of holiday bookers: the last-minute, spontaneous ones, and the regimented planners who are au fait with incognito windows and the exact live times of new flights. But who’s really winning? Is booking far in advance really the best way? And is there a prime time to make the transaction?

New travel data for 2025 from Opodo has revealed everything from how far in advance to book for the cheapest prices on short and long haul flights, as well as the best days and even the hour to book. Plus when you might find a deal on the hot destination you’ve got in your sights for 2025, including The White Lotus-approved Thailand.

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