Long-haul flights out of UK are cheaper than last year

The cost of flying long haul out of the UK has dropped by 10% this year, according to new data from flight comparison website Skyscanner.

The cost of flights to the US and Canada have fallen to new lows, with Vancouver seeing the biggest drop in prices of 18%, meaning an average saving of £126 from a year ago.

The company advised anyone looking to make the most of these lower prices to look at travelling in late autumn/early winter and to make the bookings sooner rather than later.

Far flung locations

Skyscanner’s travel editor Cat McGloin said: “We have seen an average 10% drop in flight prices over the last year, but what we are now able to see is where the biggest drops are for those long haul destinations and show travellers that those far flung locations might be more affordable than they think.”

McGloin went on to explain that flexibility is needed to find the best prices, with departing from a different airport or changing the date of travel being two options that might need to be considered.

“Whilst it is hard to predict the exact future trends of flight prices and if they will continue to drop, what we do know is the price of oil, flight demand and route availability all impact on the cost of flights,” Ms McGloin added.

Best deals

Auckland was another long-haul destination to see a considerable decrease in prices, with average costs down 11.4% on a year ago; a similar level of price drop was noted in Shanghai too.

Britons looking to travel to Hong Kong will also find much cheaper tickets as the average flight price has fallen by 12.4% since last year. At the moment, direct flights from the UK are available for around £440 with Cathay Pacific if you want to travel in November, although the same price is also on offer for a handful of return flights in May.

If you’re thinking of travelling abroad this year, be sure to organise your Long-Haul Travel Insurance in advance.

Date Created: 21/04/2017