Many holidaymakers rush to buy their flights as soon as possible to ensure they get the best deal.
But they could be wasting their time and money.
According to an online travel firm, households planning a trip to Europe could be far better off waiting to the last minute.
Travellers are best waiting for a month before travel to book flights to short haul destinations, according to an analysis
An analysis of millions of flights shows air fares to six of the top 10 most popular short-haul destinations get cheaper during the final month before travel.
Travellers prepared to wait this long can save up to 54 per cent on flights to Lanzarote, 51 percent to Majorca and 28 per cent to Rome compared with the most expensive month, the research revealed.
Pictured: Aqua Suites Hotel in Lanzarote, Spain. Travellers going to Lanzarote could save 54 percent booking a month before compared to the most expensive month
Potential savings for Malaga, Alicante and Faro are all at least 35 percent.
But long-haul flights to the most sought-after locations are best booked around six to eight months before travel.
This includes destinations such as New York, Bangkok, Tokyo and Sydney, with savings from 15 per cent.
A poll of 1,000 UK adults by online travel firm Kayak found that people on average book trips to Europe three months before departure and long-haul flights four-and-a-half months in advance.
Neil Cartwright, a travel expert at the firm, said: ‘We always want to help travellers find the best deals and it’s striking just how much prices can change simply depending on when they decide to book.
Those going on long-haul flights such as New York (pictured) are best to book around six to eight months before travel
‘We have found that as a general rule, British travellers are booking too early when it comes to European holidays and too late for international ones.’
Kayak named Czech capital Prague as the top trending flight destination of 2018, as demand more than doubled compared with last year.
It advises travellers to book flights two months before departure to get air fares that are 27 per cent lower on average.