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How delayed were flights this summer? A deep dive into the numbers

Summer disruption report 2024: How delayed were flights this summer?

Here's some tips on how to make flying with budget airlines better. 

6 tips for flying with budget airlines

¿Qué pagará la compañía aérea si pierden mi equipaje?

Entschädigung bei Gepäckverlust: Wie viel zahlt die Fluggesellschaft bei Kofferverlust?

What will an airline cover if they lose your luggage and what are the requirements for claiming?

What will the airline pay if they lose my luggage?

Find out how you can make your wallet happy following a flight delay or cancellation.

Disrupted flights, happy wallets!

8 airport survival tips to fly stress-free

How did your favorite airports perform in 2024's AirHelp Score

How did your favorite airports perform in 2024’s AirHelp Score?

Check out 2024 edition of AirHelp's air passenger rights guide. 

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AirHelp Score 2024: ¿Cómo hemos calificado los aeropuertos?

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AirHelp Score 2024: como classificamos os aeroportos?

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AirHelp Score 2024 jak ocenialiśmy lotniska?

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For 2024 we've ranked 239 of the world’s biggest and best known airports. Here's how we did it.

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AirHelp Score 2024: How did we rank the airports?

If your flight is delayed or canceled, what happens to your hotel booking will depend on whether you have a flexible or non-refundable booking.

What happens to my hotel booking if my flight gets canceled?

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Business Trip Compensation: When Your Work Trip Goes Wrong

When the airline causes business travelers to get off to a late start, they could be owed up to $700 in business trip compensation.

Business Travel Compensation: When Your Work Trip Goes Wrong

These are the top 5 most punctual airlines for 2024

Top 5 in airline on-time performance

How Far in Advance Should I Book a Flight?

Hvor lenge på forhånd bør jeg bestille flybilletten?

Flugpreis: Wie weit im Voraus sollten Sie Ihren Flug buchen?

Planning a well-deserved getaway trip and trying to find the cheapest day to buy airline tickets can turn into a costly and frustrating game of hit and miss, for even the most experienced of travelers.
Sometimes even when it appears you&rsquo;ve won the game and managed to find the best flight deal, you can be faced with further challenges when you arrive at the airport. Unfortunately, flight mishaps like delays can strike when you least expect it. This often leaves air passengers stressed and out of pocket.
But did you know that when particular flight issues like delays occur, you could be eligible to <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en/flight-delay-compensation/">flight delay compensation</a> from the airline? At AirHelp we make it our mission to help passengers understand their rights. We also make it easier for air travelers to be compensated when flight disruptions occur. With our free eligibility checker, you&rsquo;ll be able to find out if you are eligible to make a claim for your flight issue. If you are eligible, your cash compensation could be up to $700. This is something worth keeping in mind when you head to the airport.
Speaking of which, before one gets to the airport &ndash; there is the conundrum of working out how far in advance to book your flight.
There are also important factors to consider that determine the best day of the week to buy flights&mdash;your destination, when you plan to travel and whether you are booking a domestic or international flight.
According to CheapAir&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.cheapair.com/press/releases/cheapair-com-annual-airfare-study-reveals-the-best-times-to-buy-flights/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">annual airfare study</a>, &ldquo;The price of a flight changes on average every 4.5 days, and each change averages $33 up or down&rdquo;. This implies that booking a flight is all about timing. We recently divulged the <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en/blog/the-biggest-mistake-travelers-make-when-booking-flights-502/#.VWdT9JNViko" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">costly ramifications of early bird flights when purchasing your plane ticket</a>; alternatively, an expensive last-minute flight is likely to curb your spontaneity when booking trips in the future.
So is there a magic number to consider when locating the prime booking window to buy tickets for your dream trip? In this article, we&rsquo;ve done the grunt work for you and compiled a comprehensive guide with key travel insights that will save you from spending hours gazing anxiously at your screen in a bid to wait out the best day for a flight deal. <a name="domestic-flight"></a> Continue reading to learn all you need to know to buy airline tickets on a budget:
<ul>
<li><a href="#domestic-flight">How Far in Advance Should I Book a Domestic Flight?</a></li>
<li><a href="#international-flights">When is the Best Time to Buy International Flights?</a></li>
<li><a href="#popular-destinations">When to Book Flights to Popular Destinations &amp; Times</a></li>
<li><a href="#cheapest-day">What is the Cheapest Day to Book Flights?</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>How Far in Advance Should I Book a Domestic Flight?</h2>
So how far should you book in advance for flights within the country? When do airfares go down anyway?
We have good news in terms of how much lead time you&rsquo;ll need to buy tickets. When you&rsquo;re booking a domestic flight, book your tickets between one and three months prior to your trip.
If you are traveling within your country, Rick Seaney, CEO and cofounder of online research FareCompare, believes that the cheapest day to book flights is from about three months to three or four weeks before departure.
According to <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/how-far-in-advance-should-i-buy-my-airline-tickets" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Travel &amp; Leisure</a>, Kayak compiled one year of flight data and discovered the following:
<blockquote>&ldquo;Six months before departure, domestic ticket prices were about 20 percent higher than the lowest fares. They started dropping three months out and hit a low to seven weeks before departure.&rdquo;</blockquote>
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-45906" src="https://static.airhelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/13135203/jeshoots-com-227882-unsplash.jpg" alt="Best time to book flights" width="1024" height="376" /> CheapAir weighed in on the topic by conducting a <a href="https://www.cheapair.com/blog/when-to-buy-airline-tickets-based-on-1-5-billion-airfares/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">survey</a> to determine how far in advance savvy travelers ought to book a domestic flight to get the lowest fare. From their findings, they concluded that on average, 47 days was the best time to fly. So be sure to check your flights, as this is the best time to check airfare prices.
It&rsquo;s important to remember that these numbers aren&rsquo;t written in stone, but rather, are to be used as a guideline on what to consider when searching for the most affordable booking window. In general, Kayak urges travelers against waiting too long, by saying:<a name="international-flights"></a>
<blockquote>
&ldquo;Whatever you do, don&rsquo;t wait until the last week, when prices shoot up &ndash; by 25 percent&rdquo;.
</blockquote>
<h2>When is the Best Time to Buy International Flights?</h2>
It takes a lot more preparation to plan an international trip&mdash;and that includes booking your tickets further in advance. International flights don&rsquo;t see the same kind of fluctuation domestic flights do, so more often than not what you see is what you&rsquo;re going to get.
According to CheapAir, international flights:
<blockquote>
&ldquo; &hellip;stay fairly flat for a few months, then start to creep up slowly, until about 90 days before departure when the place of increase starts to accelerate.&rdquo;
</blockquote>
The travel connoisseurs from FareCompare insist that the cheapest days to fly international are between five and a half months and one and a half months from departure.
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-45935" src="https://static.airhelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/13140147/frankie-guarini-157592-unsplash.jpg" alt="Cheapest days to fly international" width="1024" height="376" />
Put simply, three months out is when you want to start thinking of booking domestic flights &ndash; whereas for booking international flights, three months out is the last minute you want to be thinking of booking. Go more than three months out to book tickets for international flights to ensure that you&rsquo;re getting the best deal possible. <a name="popular-destinations"></a> <a href="https://www.cheapair.com/blog/how-far-in-advance-should-you-book-an-international-flight/">CheapAir</a> also advises that we take these digits with a pinch of salt because every international market is bound to be different, with its own unique caveat.
<h2>When to Book Flights to Popular Destinations &amp; Times</h2>
Airline ticket sales operate on complex formulas, but one thing that remains fairly simple is the concept of supply and demand. When there is less supply, there will be more demand. Understandably, when there is more demand, there will be higher prices.
What that means for your travel plans is that you&rsquo;ll want to book early when traveling to popular destinations and during peak times. Going to the beach or to Europe this summer, when everyone else is doing the same thing? Book early. Heading home for the holiday? Book early.
In general, apply common sense and you&rsquo;ll get a good deal. However, there is one caveat to remember: supply and demand don&rsquo;t mean airlines will lower their prices the month of a flight if seats aren&rsquo;t filling up. <a name="cheapest-day"></a> No matter how you dice it, trying to book a flight the same month of your trip (international or domestic) is going to cost you more.
<h2>What is the Cheapest Day to Book Flights?</h2>
There are a plethora of sources online that advise travelers on the best day and time to book their dream trip. However, as prices largely depend on airline routes and fluctuating prices make it difficult for research findings to stand the test of time, it&rsquo;s safe to assume that there are no hard- and-fast-rules.
Up until this year, there was the popular belief that the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/days-to-book-the-cheapest-flights-2018-1?IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cheapest day to book flights</a> was Tuesday at midnight, as travelers who purchased flights on this day saved about 6% on their flights. However, this is no longer the case because more business travelers are booking their flights during the week.
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-46480" src="https://static.airhelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/19075200/nicole-harrington-62045-unsplash.jpg" alt="Cheapest day to book flights" width="1024" height="376" />
It can be mind-boggling trying to keep up with air travel predictions on the <a href="https://www.farecompare.com/travel-advice/tips-from-air-travel-insiders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">best day and time to book flights</a>, so as a rule of thumb, we advise that if you&rsquo;re scouring the net and land on a deal that has you jumping up and down in excitement&mdash;providing you&rsquo;ve done your due diligence&mdash;regardless of what day of the week it is, it may be a good idea to snap it up as the price may not go down any lower.
<h3>And Lastly&hellip;</h3>
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-45945" src="https://static.airhelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/13140906/andy-beales-53407-unsplash.jpg" alt="Best time to buy airline tickets" width="1024" height="376" />
To ensure you get the most affordable flight deal, don&rsquo;t forget to compare flight fares from different airlines, so you can ascertain the best carrier to get the cheapest deal.
In addition, although saving money on your flight means being able to spend money on more fun parts of your trip like restaurants and shopping, to ensure you take off for your trip on a good note, remember to use AirHelp Score to determine the <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en/airhelp-score/airline-ranking/">best airline</a> and <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en/airhelp-score/airport-ranking/">airport</a>.
Finally, if you follow our tips and your <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en/blog/how-do-i-know-if-im-entitled-to-compensation-for-my-disrupted-flight-594/">flight ends up being disrupted</a>&mdash;if you are entitled to <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en/flight-delay-compensation/">flight delay compensation</a>, we are only a click away.
Flight delays happen, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean you have to accept them. You may be <a href="https://app.airhelp.com/claims/new/trip-details">entitled to as much as $700 in compensation</a> if your flight was delayed, canceled or overbooked within the last three years.

When it comes knowing when to book a flight, it’s all about balance. There is a general best time to buy (called the “prime booking window”). Find out more.

What Are Your Rights For Self Connecting Flights?

When searching for flights from coast to coast or across the world we always want to find the best deals. If there are no direct flights available that means you&rsquo;ll have a connection somewhere in between. 
If you&rsquo;re really into hunting down bargain fares you might search for two separate flights, which connect to take you to your final destination. This is a self connecting flight, also known as non-protected transfer or self transfer flight. 
So what does self transer mean? It means that instead of having the airline choose an itinerary for you and put you on a connecting flight, you instead choose which flight to self transfer to next. Transferring flights yourself means less work for the airline.
Sometimes booking flights this way does work out cheaper than booking the journey as one itinerary as self connecting flights are often cheaper. But there are risks to this tactic, and we think it&rsquo;s important that passengers are aware of them. 
For example, what happens if your first flight is delayed, causing you to miss your self connecting flights? 
Who would be responsible for getting you to your last stop? Would you be able to claim compensation for the delay if you book a self transfer flight?
We have the answers to help you decide if booking a self connecting flight is worth the risk.
<figure id="attachment_167418" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 600px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-167418"><img class="size-full wp-image-167418" src="https://static.airhelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/12155525/laptop-2562325-640.jpg" alt="man with pen and pad at computer" width="600" height="400" />
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-167418" class="wp-caption-text">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/en/laptop-computer-browser-research-2562325/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Stock Snap</a> via pixabay</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What is a connecting flight vs a self connecting flight?</h2>
A connecting flight is legally considered one continuous journey, booked as one single itinerary, but with one or more stops on the way to your final destination. 
Connecting flights are fairly common. When you&rsquo;re searching for a flight, airlines will either offer a direct flight, or they will try to find another way of getting you from A to B, flying via another airport, C. They might be able to do both legs on their own planes, or they might work with a partner airline, who will carry you on one of the legs. 
A self connecting or self-transfer flight is when you plan that connection yourself. So instead of searching for flights from A to B, you search and book a plane from A to C, and then another flight from C to B. The flight route you take might be the same &ndash; but airlines treat connecting and self connecting flights very differently. 
When an airline books you onto a connecting flight, you will be issued one booking reference. You will also be checked into all flights on your journey at the same time. The airline is responsible for helping you catch your connection &ndash; since they were the ones who suggested it. That means you usually don&rsquo;t need to collect your luggage at the connecting airport. 
The time between connecting flights can be pretty short &ndash; as little as 40 minutes for some airports. The airline is aware of your connection and will sometimes tell you which gate you need for your next flight. They might even offer assistance if you have a short connection time. Crucially, if your first flight is delayed, and you miss your second, they will put you on another flight to your final destination. They might even have to pay out <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en/missed-connection-compensation/">up to $700 in compensation</a> per passenger if you miss your connection.
But when you piece together two itineraries to create a self connecting flight, each flight is booked under separate booking references, so they are completely independent of one another. In this case, you are responsible for all aspects of your connection. That might mean collecting your luggage and checking it in again, clearing security (both ways!), and getting to the next plane on time. You&rsquo;ll need to allow plenty of spare time in case there are any delays on the way.
<figure id="attachment_167473" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 600px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-167473"><img class="wp-image-167473 size-full" src="https://static.airhelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/12160343/money-256312-640.jpg" alt="hand with pencil over receipt for self transfer flight" width="600" height="400" />
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-167473" class="wp-caption-text">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/en/money-bills-calculator-save-256312/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Jarmoluk</a> via pixabay</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What missing a self connecting flight might cost you</h2>
When you book a trip under one itinerary, if your flight is delayed and you miss your connection, the airline would be responsible for rebooking you on next available flight out. They may also offer meal or hotel vouchers depending on the length of your delay. 
If you book a self-transfer flight and a delay causes you to miss the second leg of your trip, making it to your final destination is totally up to you. 
Speak with the airline staff once you make it to the airport and explain that you missed your flight. If you stay calm and kind they may be able to put you on standby for the next flight out. Some airlines may honor the &lsquo;<a href="https://pointmetotheplane.boardingarea.com/2017/11/25/theres-flat-tire-rule-miss-delta-american-united-southwest-flights/">flat tire rule</a>&rsquo; that can offer you a little leniency in the case you miss your flight for good reason.&nbsp;
If airline staff can&rsquo;t help, you&rsquo;ll have to dish out money for a completely new ticket. If you missed the last flight of day you&rsquo;ll end up stuck overnight until the next available flight. That will cost you even more money for a place to stay, food, and other expenses. Or you can just sleep at the airport and hope they have good vending machine options.
<h2>Reclaiming expenses after missing a self connecting flight?</h2>
When you&rsquo;re hit with extra costs from missing your connecting flight there are ways to get that money back. If you&rsquo;re traveling out of the States and your first flight is delayed for several hours you may be able to recover certain costs thanks to the <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en/air-passenger-rights/#international-rights-the-montreal-convention">Montreal Convention</a>.&nbsp;
The Montreal Convention protects passengers on international flights and says that airlines must pay damages resulting from flight delays. In real terms, this means in certain cases airlines should pay for your expenses incurred as a result of a delayed flight. So hold on to receipts for meals and accommodations.
Unfortunately, the Montreal Convention doesn&rsquo;t apply for flights that stay within the US. This is where opting for travel insurance may come in handy. If you purchase travel insurance you may be able to file a claim to get money back for unexpected costs if you miss your self-transfer flight. If you planned enough time between flights but a delay causes you to miss the second leg of your trip your travel insurance plan may have you covered. 
<h2>Can you claim compensation if you miss your self connecting flight?</h2>
One of the big advantages of a normal connecting flight is that if disruption causes you to miss a connection, the airline still has the obligation to get you to your final destination. 
In addition, if your flight is covered by EC 261 you may be entitled to <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en/blog/flight-canceled-or-delayed/">up to $700 in compensation</a> too. Even within the US where there&rsquo;s no legal basis for compensation you can still go to their customer service counter for options to get to your intended destination, and possibly receive vouchers to make your wait less costly.
With self-transfer flights, the itineraries are independent. That means your first carrier is only responsible for making sure you get to that first destination, not the second. &nbsp;
You can try to plead your case once you do finally make it to the airport but unfortunately, there&rsquo;s not much they can do besides rebook you &ndash; at your own cost. 
If your flights are covered by EC 261 you can claim compensation for the disrupted flight. However, the delay must have been longer than three hours to qualify, and you might get less compensation. Only the disrupted leg will be taken into account, not the full length of your journey.
<figure id="attachment_167501" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 600px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-167501"><img class="wp-image-167501 size-full" src="https://static.airhelp.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/12160930/station-2923685-640.jpg" alt="kid sitting on bench with suitcases waiting for self transfer flight" width="600" height="400" />
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-167501" class="wp-caption-text">Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/en/station-suitcases-child-train-2923685/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Victoria Borodinova </a></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Ways to prevent missing your self connecting flight</h2>
While a self connecting flight may save you money, it&rsquo;s up to you to make it onto your next flight. It&rsquo;s not impossible, even in the case of a delay.
When searching for fares, give yourself more than enough time between each flight. Follow the same suggestions on <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en/blog/how-early-should-i-get-to-airport/">how early you should be at the airport</a> as if it&rsquo;s your original trip.&nbsp;
Factor in a minimum three-hour window when flying to high traffic airports or traveling during peak days or hours. It&rsquo;s also important to know if you have to exit your terminal, collect your bags, and go through security again. If so, it&rsquo;s best to add another hour cushion for self-transfer flights.
Even though you may end up spending a few extra hours waiting for your second flight it&rsquo;s better than spending a few extra hundred dollars because your first flight was delayed.
Flight delays happen, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean you have to accept them. You may be <a href="https://app.airhelp.com/claims/new/trip-details">entitled to a much as $700 in compensation</a> if your flight was delayed, canceled, or overbooked within the last three years.

Before you book a self connecting flight learn about what your rights are in the case of a delay on domestic and international flights.

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