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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Simon Calder

When’s the best time to fly? Airports reveal their calmest periods for flight departures

First wave: the 5.45am queue for the Shuttle at Stansted airport in Essex on 21 July 2025 - (Simon Calder)

Many UK airports are experiencing their busiest summer in history, with more British people flying away on holiday than ever before.

Anyone who has endured the “first wave” of flights – typically starting before 6am and continuing to around 8am – will know that this is when airports are at their busiest. Airlines need to get airborne as early in the day as possible, extracting the maximum productivity from their planes and crew.

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