Looking for bargain flights this Christmas? Now is the time to book

It’s been a sizzling few weeks across Britain, but now is the time to start thinking about booking your flights for the Christmas period if you’re looking for a cheap deal.

According to travel planning platform Rome2rio, July is the prime month to grab a bargain flight, as prices are likely to increase by up to 21 per cent each month from now.

The company bases its advice on almost 30,000 flight searches made by UK users for travel over Christmas last year.

“Turning your thoughts to tinsel and turkey during a heatwave may be a struggle, but now really is the time to plan and book your Christmas getaway, especially if you want to visit German festive markets or find winter sun in Spain,” said Kirsteene Phelan, chief operating officer at Rome2rio.

“Demand and therefore prices will increase as growing numbers of our users choose to travel overseas during the festive period, so selecting your day of travel – and avoiding flying within the UK on Christmas Day – could mean you have more change to jingle in your pocket.”

Flights within the UK departing on Christmas Day have proven to be the most expensive day to travel, while non-domestic flights on the same day represent the best value for your money.

Phelan added: “Travellers are actually booking earlier than ever, but still often leave it too late to get the best prices – we’d expect to see the real winter wanderlust start in October, which is only three months away.”