British families looking to stretch their holiday budget have been given a golden piece of advice that could save them over a thousand pounds on long-haul flights. According to a new investigation, the secret lies not in when you fly, but from where you start your journey.
The Istanbul Airport Loophole
A comprehensive report from consumer champion Which? has uncovered a significant price disparity for long-haul travel. The analysis, which scrutinised price data from Skyscanner, found that flying from Istanbul to destinations like Sydney and Tokyo is substantially cheaper than departing from major UK hubs.
For a family of four, the savings are staggering. The average flight from London to Sydney costs £1,012 per person. In contrast, a flight from Istanbul to Sydney averages just £653 – a saving of £359 per person. For a trip to Tokyo, the saving was similarly impressive at £350 cheaper per person.
The strategy is simple: instead of booking a direct long-haul flight from Heathrow or Gatwick, travellers should first find the cheapest possible flight to Istanbul. Which? experts noted that flights to Istanbul from airports like Bristol, Manchester, or London can frequently be found for less than £30.
How European Airports Compare
Which? expanded its research to compare prices from nine European airports to various long-haul destinations, including New York, Los Angeles, Cape Town, and Sydney. The findings were clear: Istanbul emerged as the most cost-effective starting point on average.
Flying from Istanbul was £139 per person cheaper than departing from Amsterdam and £137 per person cheaper than flying from London. Oslo was the second cheapest airport with an average fare of £612, followed by Paris and Stockholm (both £641), Madrid (£672), Copenhagen (£682), and Frankfurt (£705).
However, the report highlighted that the best airport choice can depend heavily on your final destination. Unsurprisingly, Istanbul is not the optimal choice for westbound flights. For trips to New York, Copenhagen offered the cheapest fares at £355, while Oslo had the best prices to Los Angeles at £401, though these flights would be indirect. Paris was the most affordable departure point for flights to Mexico City.
Why UK Flight Prices Are So High
The investigation points to two primary reasons for the steep prices from UK airports. Firstly, the UK's long-haul air passenger duty in economy class is £94. This tax is significantly higher than in many other countries; for instance, Turkey and Sweden impose no such tax, while France charges around £40.
Secondly, the consistently high demand for flights from the UK helps to keep prices elevated. The data revealed that London is the second most expensive city to fly from, after Amsterdam, for the selection of eight long-haul destinations analysed.
The savings from choosing an alternative European departure point are substantial across the board. It is nearly £200 per person cheaper to fly from Oslo to Bangkok than from London, £247 cheaper to fly to Tokyo from Stockholm, and £182 cheaper to fly to Cape Town from Oslo, despite Norway being much further from South Africa than the UK is.
This strategic approach to booking, often called 'skiplagging' or split-ticketing, requires a bit more planning but offers dramatic rewards for budget-conscious travellers seeking to make their money go further on their next big adventure.
