Posted on Tuesday, 5 December 2017

Most of us have found ourselves in the airport, ready to jet off to sunnier climes, only to be told that our flight has been delayed. Those minutes – and sometimes hours – spent sitting on suitcases staring at the departure board mean less time sipping pina coladas by the pool, or exploring the sights of your destination.

But there's one sure-fire way to minimise the chances of a flight delay: book an early morning flight.

Sounds like a simple strategy, but there's plenty of evidence to support it.

FiveThirtyEight.com collected on-time statistics from the US Department of Transportation, and found the the average flight delays increased steadily from 6AM, peaking at 6pm, before tailing off. While this is a US study, there's some logical reasons why it's true here in the UK, too.

A report by Travelzoo in 2015 came to a similar conclusion: Early flights are likely to be delayed for shorter periods – if at all.

Early flights are the best bet for an on-time arrival because air traffic has not built up over night, according to Forbes. By the time evening comes, after hours of arrivals and takes offs, the chances of a flight being delayed are much higher.

Less chance of thunderstorms

Another good reason to plump for a morning flight is that thunderstorms are more likely to occur in the afternoon. Because air is heated throughout the day, it becomes most unstable in the afternoon, creating the sort of conditions that thunderstorms like – and pilots (together with their passengers) hate.

Less stress

Heading to the airport early in the morning should also mean a more relaxed time on the roads and in the airport itself. For example, Google's traffic data shows Heathrow Airport's popularity as peaking between 9am and 3pm, tailing off slightly in the late afternoon and dropping off in the evening.

Lower fares

And while it's not fun getting up in the small hours for an early departure according to Skyscanner you're more likely to get a cheaper fare if you book early in the morning. And if you're heading to mainland Europe, the chances are you'll be able to enjoy the afternoon at your destination, unlike those who opt for flights later in the day.

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