How you can save £2,445 by flying on Christmas Day

When is the best day to travel for a Christmas holiday? Jet off for your festive break on Christmas Day and you could land you sky-high savings of up to £2,445, new research has revealed.

Travellers who are prepared to forgo the traditional Christmas Day celebrations at home and enjoy their turkey dinner mid-air could bag the biggest savings, which range from £218 to a whopping £2,445, according to Cheapflights.co.uk.

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In its festive flight search, the travel website revealed that Christmas Day flyers can save up to 23 per cent on flights to the most popular Christmas holiday hotspots.

Cheapflights looked at the top ten most searched-for Christmas destinations and found that they were all long-haul destinations, with Bangkok in pole position and New York, Dubai, Sydney, Los Angeles, Goa and Cape Town also riding high.

Sydney, which ranked as the fifth most popular Christmas getaway destination, is on average 23 per cent or £227 cheaper to reach on Christmas Day - at £755 - than it is on other days during the festive period, for example 23 December when average fares start from £983.

Sun-seekers heading for Bangkok can save an average of £125 (18 per cent) by flying on Christmas Day when average fares are just £551, versus 23 December when prices are £676.

Similarly, flights to Cape Town are, on average, £112 (12 per cent) lower on Christmas Day at £791 versus £903 on 22 December.

Savings on other popular December holiday destinations include Bali (£191 saving), Las Vegas (£106 saving), Auckland (£200 saving) and Tokyo (£105 saving).

So, where can you find the best Christmas Day flight deals?

Flights from London to Sydney with Qantas, via Dubai, on Christmas Day are currently available from £627 versus £1,141 on 22 December, saving you £514. Flights from London to Bali with Malaysia Airlines, via Kuala Lumpur, on Christmas Day are currently available from £1,144 versus £1,766 on 22 December, saving you £622. And flights from London to Cape Town with Qatar Airways, via Doha, on Christmas Day are currently available from £801 versus £1,019 on 23 December, saving you £218.

The biggest saving can be found on flights from London to Auckland with Emirates, via Dubai, on Christmas Day, which currently cost from £865 versus £3,310 on 22 December, saving you a huge £2,445.

Andrew Shelton, Managing Director of Cheapflights, told AOL Travel: "If you have always wanted to visit Australia, South Africa, Asia or the USA but have been put off by the prices, travelling on 25 December could be the way to get you there."

Shelton adds that holidaymakers should plan ahead and book early to make the most of the Christmas Day savings.

Are there other benefits to flying on Christmas Day?

There are other benefits to a Christmas Day flight, such as practically non-existent queues for airport security and deserted departure lounges, says Andrew. You are also more likely to be able to spread out on the plane with an empty seat next to you.

"There is generally a festive mood so airport and airline staff are extra friendly, while some airlines even serve special festive in-flight meals," he adds.

"A word of warning, however, to those who are swapping board games for a boarding pass this Christmas: don't rely on the airport for any last-minute holiday shopping as most of the shops will be closed; and be sure to plan your journey to the airport carefully, due to public transport restrictions."