Finding a good flight isn’t just about finding the cheapest price. When your annual leave is limited, your flight needs to work for your trip. The cheapest ticket isn’t much of a bargain if it leaves at an inconvenient time, involves a long layover or gets you to an airport hours away from where you’re staying.

I always look at the bigger picture: price, timing, journey time and convenience. Here’s how I find the best flights.

I always start by comparing my options rather than checking airlines one by one. Two of my go-to tools are Skyscanner and Google Flights.

Skyscanner is great for getting a broad overview of available flights and comparing airlines, dates and airports. It’s particularly useful if you’re flexible about where or when you fly or looking for multi-city itineraries.

→ Search flights on Skyscanner

Google Flights is one of my favourites for quickly comparing dates and spotting how prices change. The calendar and date grid make it easy to see whether moving your trip by a day or two could save you money.

→ Search flights on Google Flights

I often use both. Start broad, compare your options and then check the airline directly before booking.

Want to know which flight search tool is best for different situations?

→ Read my guide to the best flight search tools

If your annual leave dates aren’t fixed, flexibility can be your best friend. Before booking, check the days around your ideal dates. Flying on a Thursday instead of Friday, or returning on Monday instead of Sunday, could give you a better price or much better flight times.

You can also compare nearby airports. If you’re travelling from London, for example, it can be worth checking Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City rather than assuming your usual airport will have the best option.

But don’t look at the flight price alone. A £40 cheaper flight isn’t necessarily a better deal if the airport costs £50 more to reach or takes another hour to get to. Look at the cost and convenience of the entire journey.

If your annual leave dates are fixed, you can still compare different departure times, airports and airlines to find the best option within your dates.

This is particularly important when you don’t have much annual leave. A flight that costs £30 less but gets you to your destination six hours later might not actually be the better deal.

I always look at how much usable holiday time each flight gives me. An evening flight after work can be a great option for a short trip because you can travel without taking another day off. Similarly, a later flight home can give you most of your final day at your destination.

But there’s a balance. I wouldn’t choose a 5am flight just to gain a few extra hours if it means travelling to the airport in the middle of the night and starting your holiday exhausted.

The best flight is the one that makes the most of your time without making your trip unnecessarily difficult.

And if you’re only going away for a few days, flight times become even more important.

→ How to Make the Most of a Long Weekend

Once you’ve found a flight that looks cheap, check what’s actually included. This is particularly important with low-cost airlines.

Before comparing two fares, check:

• Baggage allowance
• Seat selection
• Airport
• Flight times
• Number and length of connections
• Any additional fees

A £70 flight can quickly become £120 once you’ve added the luggage and extras you actually need. And don’t automatically rule out a more expensive direct flight.

If it costs slightly more but saves you several hours of travelling, it might be much better value, especially when you’re using precious annual leave. I also recommend checking the arrival airport carefully. Some destinations have multiple airports, and the cheapest one isn’t always the most convenient.

Compare the total cost and total travel time not just the number you see first.

Once you’ve compared your options, it’s time to stop chasing the absolute lowest price. For me, the best flight is the one that offers the right balance between price, timing and convenience.

Before booking, I ask myself:

Is the price good?
Not necessarily the cheapest just good value for what I’m getting.

Are the flight times sensible?
Will I actually be able to enjoy my first and last days?

Is the journey straightforward?
Would paying a little more avoid an unnecessarily long connection?

Is the airport convenient?
How long and expensive will it be to get to my accommodation?

Does it work with my annual leave?
Am I making the most of the days I’ve taken off?

If the answer is yes, you’ve probably found a good flight.

Don’t just find a cheap flight, find the right one.

When you have limited annual leave, your time is just as valuable as your money. Use Skyscanner and Google Flights to compare your options, check nearby dates and airports, and look beyond the headline fare. A slightly more expensive flight can sometimes give you significantly more time at your destination and that’s worth considering when every day of annual leave counts.

And once you’ve found the right flight, the next question is when should you actually book it?

→ How Far in Advance Should You Book Your Trip?

You’ve probably heard the advice: wait until Tuesday to book your flights because that’s when prices are cheapest. The reality is a little less exciting.

There isn’t a reliable “magic day” to book flights. Prices change constantly depending on demand, availability, route and how far away your departure date is. Google Flights’ historical data has found that booking on Tuesday can be slightly cheaper than other days, but the difference is so small that it’s not worth waiting for Tuesday if you’ve already found a good fare.

My advice? Don’t wait for Tuesday just because you’ve heard it will be cheaper. If you find a flight that works well for your dates, price and schedule, it’s usually better to make the decision based on the flight itself rather than the day of the week you’re booking.

What can make a bigger difference is the day you actually fly. Historical data suggests that flying in the middle of the week can often be cheaper than flying at the weekend. So instead of waiting for Tuesday to book, try being flexible with your travel dates whenever your annual leave allows it.