Everyone loves going on holiday – it allows us to relax and spend unlimited time with our loved ones whilst exploring another culture. However, the journey there isn’t always smooth and can be the most stressful part of a trip.
Since the pandemic, airlines have struggled to keep up with demands as we all rush to head abroad – and it means that more and more of us are experiencing flight delays. Making your way to the airport to find out your flight has been delayed for several hours is a humbling experience.
But, there are ways to minimise your risks of catching a delayed flight. One way to make sure you get a flight that will leave on time is by booking the first flight of the day. Lisa Kulpa, who works as a flight attendant, told The Points Guy that there are a few reasons why we should be getting the first flight of the day.
Firstly, this flight is less likely to have delays as it’s the first departure of the day.
Secondly, “flights later in the day have a greater chance of delays due to weather, maintenance, and delays getting in and out of gates, which pushes back the entire flight schedule day,” Kulpa says.
If you’re a germaphobe, getting the first flight of the day is also perfect for you as the plane will have a received a deep clean overnight.
If your flight does happen to get delayed, being on the first flight of the day means “there’ll be more opportunities to get you booked on a flight that same day,” @melaniethetravelgirl says.
But how do you even know what time the first flight of your route will be?
User @raimeeetravels suggests using Google Flights. Type in where you’re going, click on departure time, and make sure to add the nonstop filter too. Doing this will allow you to see all the flights on the day you choose to travel.