Why you should never book flights that take off in the afternoon according to experts
TRAVEL experts have revealed when the best time of day to fly is - and it's more often than not in the morning.
There are several reasons why afternoon flights are a bad idea, with problems much more likely for passengers flying later in the day.
Those afraid of flying should definitely dodge flights in the afternoon, with turbulence often worse than in the mornings.
Pilot Jerry Johnson explained that the air changes throughout the day, and flights are often rougher in the afternoon due to the warm air.
If you catch a flight late in the day, the ground has had more time to heat up, which can cause "bumpier air" and lead to turbulence onboard.
On top of that, there's more chance of there being a thunderstorm in the afternoon compared to the morning, which can make a rough flight even worse.
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So if you're a nervous flyer, it's better to catch a plane in the morning.
Mr Johnson told: "If you're a nervous flyer, book a morning flight.
"The heating of the ground later causes bumpier air, and it's much more likely to thunderstorm in the afternoon."
Additionally, afternoon flights are much more likely to be delayed than morning ones, according to experts.
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Gordon Smith, who has built extensive knowledge around commercial aviation as editor of Airliner World, revealed why you should always fly earlier in the day in you want to avoid any unexpected flight drama.
He told the : “While late-evening departures can be convenient, they’re also risky.
“Budget firms typically assign just 30 minutes between landing and take-off all day long, so it doesn’t take much for schedules to go awry.
“Problems can be compounded, with later services more likely to experience knock-on delays.”
Data suggests that flights that depart after 3pm have the highest chance of being cancelled.
In fact, there's a 50 per cent higher chance, on average that they will have problems, than those that depart earlier in the day.
Figures supplied by FlightRadar24 which analysed flight cancellations last summer, suggest the best time to fly is late morning between 11am and 12pm.
Only an average of 0.75 per cent of flights scheduled during that window were delayed or cancelled - making it the best time to fly.
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Meanwhile, March is the most reliable month to travel, with the shortest average delays.
And this is the best day to fly on for cheaper flights.
