Would You Fly at Awkward Times to Save £££ ?
Would You Fly at Awkward Times to Save £££?
When searching for flights recently from Manchester to Alicante for a week in mid July 2026, we noticed something that really caught our attention.
Flying with a certain well-known Irish airline, the prices varied dramatically depending on the time of day.
The daytime flights came in at around £140 return, while the less sociable option – departing late in the evening, arriving in Spain at 12:45am, and returning a week later on an early morning flight landing back in Manchester at 8:35am – cost just £57 return.
That's a remarkable £83 saving.
It got us thinking. Is saving that much money worth the inconvenience of travelling at awkward hours?
Years ago, I remember setting my alarm for around 2:00am to leave home at 3:00am and catch an early flight. I saved about £20 compared to travelling later in the day. Halfway to the airport I remember wondering, "This really isn't worth twenty quid."
But would I feel differently if the saving was more than four times that amount?
Like most things in travel, there are plenty of pros and cons.
The Pros
Your holiday starts with extra money in your pocket
Let's start with the obvious one.
An extra £83 isn't to be sniffed at.
For a couple travelling together that's over £160 saved, while a family of four could potentially save more than £300 simply by choosing less popular flight times.
That money could easily cover:
- A couple of nice meals out.
- Airport parking.
- Car hire upgrades.
- Excursions.
- A healthy contribution towards next year's holiday.
When viewed like that, suddenly arriving just after midnight doesn't seem quite so bad.
Quieter roads to the airport
If you've ever driven to Manchester Airport during rush hour, you'll know it isn't always the most relaxing experience.
Travelling in the early hours often means:
- Hardly any traffic.
- Less chance of motorway delays.
- A much smoother drive.
- Easier access to airport parking.
For many people, the drive to the airport can actually become one of the least stressful parts of the journey.
Airports are often calmer
Very early departures can mean shorter queues at:
- Check-in
- Security
- Passport Control
While airports are never completely quiet these days, travelling outside peak daytime hours can often make the experience feel much more relaxed.
More time at your destination
One advantage people often overlook is maximising holiday time.
Even if you don't reach your hotel until the early hours, you've still arrived on your first day rather than losing it altogether.
Likewise, an early morning return flight means you're squeezing every last evening out of your holiday before heading home.
If you're paying for seven nights in a hotel, you probably want to enjoy as much of those seven days as possible.
Morning flights are often more punctual
Interestingly, the first flights of the day are frequently among the most reliable.
Aircraft haven't yet built up delays from previous sectors, crews are fresh, and schedules haven't had all day for disruption to accumulate.
If everything runs to plan, you could find yourself taking off exactly on time.
Smoother skies?
While there are never any guarantees with the weather, pilots often say that flights departing very early in the morning can experience less turbulence.
The atmosphere is generally more stable before the heat of the day builds, which can make for a slightly smoother journey.
If you're a nervous flyer, that's certainly worth considering.
The Cons
You're exhausted before your holiday even begins
Landing at 12:45am sounds manageable.
Until you remember you still need to:
- Collect your luggage.
- Pick up your hire car.
- Drive to your accommodation.
- Check in.
- Unpack.
Before you know it, it's 2:30am.
You've effectively had a full travelling day before your holiday has even started resulting in.....
The dreaded 'Tiredness Tax'
We've all done it.
After very little sleep you arrive at your destination and promise yourself you'll stay awake.
Instead you:
- Buy another coffee.
- Spend more than usual.
- Treat yourself because you're too tired to think straight.
- Need an afternoon nap.
That saving on flights can slowly disappear as tiredness affects your decisions.
The same applies on the way home.
An early morning arrival back into the UK can leave you shattered for the rest of the day, particularly if you're heading straight back to work.
Late evening flights can be more vulnerable to delays
While early morning departures often benefit from starting the day on time, late evening flights can suffer the opposite problem.
If your aircraft has been operating several flights throughout the day, even a small delay on each one can snowball into a much later departure by the evening.
There's nothing worse than expecting to arrive at your hotel just after midnight and instead not checking in until 3:00am.
Public transport may not be available
Arriving in Spain close to 1:00am can present another challenge.
Many local bus services will have finished for the night, trains may not be running, and taxis could be in high demand.
Hiring a car? Not all are open out of hours or have a early / late collection / return fee.
Your body clock takes a hit
There's something unnatural about getting up at 2:00am or arriving home after being awake for nearly 24 hours.
Even if the flight itself is only a couple of hours long, those awkward departure and arrival times can leave you feeling drained for several days.
Families with young children may find this particularly challenging.
Airport facilities may be limited
Depending on your arrival time, not every restaurant, café or shop will be open.
That can make grabbing a proper meal or even a decent coffee more difficult
than during daytime travel.
So... Is It Worth It?
The answer probably depends on two things:
How much are you saving?
Saving £15 or £20 probably wouldn't persuade many people to sacrifice a good night's sleep.
Saving £80, £100 or even more? That's a different conversation altogether.
Secondly...
How do you value your time?
Some travellers are happy to travel at any hour if it keeps costs down.
Others would happily pay extra for a relaxed start to their holiday.
Neither answer is right or wrong—it simply comes down to personal preference.
One Thing That's Always Worth Booking Early
Whether you're flying at 6:00am, landing at midnight or travelling at lunchtime, one thing remains the same...
Book your airport parking in advance.
Not only can you often secure the best prices, but you'll also have a much wider choice of parking options, giving your holiday the smooth start it deserves.
At www.parkandgo.co.uk, booking early means you'll benefit from our best available prices, greater availability across a wide range of trusted airport parking options, and the peace of mind that everything is sorted before you even set off for the airport.
Over to You...
Would you choose the £57 flights and put up with the awkward hours?
Or would you happily pay the extra £83 for a more civilised journey?