Book flights 24 weeks prior to trip to maximise savings: Study

May 2, 2017

New Delhi, May 2: While most travellers try to strike the best deal by booking flight tickets months before their trip, a new survey has revealed that making the bookings precisely 24 weeks prior to departure is the ideal time.

Conducted by online travel portal Skyscanner, the study crunched two years' worth of data from over 50 million monthly users to cull out the Best Time to Book (BTTB) travel to the the top destinations across the world for Indians. "A meaty 31 per cent of respondents assume booking more than 12 weeks in advance is the best time to book flights. 11 per cent feel that booking last minute is the key to getting a good deal. But, Skyscanner's data analysis shows booking 24 weeks prior to departure is the ideal time to book tickets," the study noted.

According to the survey, flight bookings to destinations like Bali and Kuala Lumpur, which are quite popular among Indian travellers, are cheapest if made 25 weeks prior to departure. However, the online portal noted that both destinations receive the most bookings two weeks prior to departure where flight prices witness a surge of 16 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively, indicating the lack of knowledge of Indian travellers regarding bookings.

"72 per cent of Indian travellers do not know the best time to book travel for their holidays," it said.

For destinations in Europe like Amsterdam, travellers can save up to 17 per cent by booking 24 weeks in advance.

Budapest will suit non-efficient planners owing to the flexible weeks on offer, during which they can avail optimum flight fares.

"One can book 12, 20 or 23 weeks prior to departure and still save 13 per cent on the flight tickets," the study said.

To explore Madrid without breaking the bank, Skyscanner recommended the best time to book is 15 weeks in advance. "Knowing the best time to book flights is key to getting a good deal, so it is surprising that nearly three-quarters of Indian travellers do not know when the best time to book travel is and 69 per cent are way off in their estimations, guessing the best deals on flights can be found less than 12 weeks before departure.

"Furthermore, the majority of travellers are overspending by leaving booking until the last minute! After reviewing flight prices from the last two years, travellers can clearly see the savings they can make by booking at the right time and what to expect if they leave booking to the last minute," Reshmi Roy, Growth Manager, Skyscanner India said.

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Over 58 lakh names dropped from draft voter list in Bengal ahead of polls

News Network

December 16,2025

The deletion of over 58 lakh names from West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked widespread concern and is likely to deepen political tensions in the poll-bound state.

According to the Election Commission, the revision exercise has identified 24 lakh voters as deceased, 19 lakh as relocated, 12 lakh as missing, and 1.3 lakh as duplicate entries. The draft list, published after the completion of the first phase of SIR, aims to remove errors and duplication from the electoral rolls.

However, the scale of deletions has raised fears that a large number of eligible voters may have been wrongly excluded. The Election Commission has said that individuals whose names are missing can file objections and seek corrections. The final voter list is scheduled to be published in February next year, after which the Assembly election announcement is expected. Notably, the last Special Intensive Revision in Bengal was conducted in 2002.

The development has intensified the political row over the SIR process. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have strongly opposed the exercise, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of attempting to disenfranchise lakhs of voters ahead of the elections.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar earlier this month, Banerjee urged people to protest if their names were removed from the voter list, alleging intimidation during elections and warning of serious consequences if voting rights were taken away.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the revision and accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the issue to protect what it claims is an illegal voter base. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the ruling party fears losing power due to the removal of deceased, fake, and illegal voters.

The controversy comes amid earlier allegations by the Trinamool Congress that excessive work pressure during the SIR led to the deaths by suicide of some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), for which the party blamed the Election Commission. With the draft list now out, another round of political confrontation appears imminent.

As objections begin to be filed, the focus will be on whether the correction mechanism is accessible, transparent, and timely—critical factors in ensuring that no eligible voter is denied their democratic right ahead of a crucial election.

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