The cheapest travel destinations revealed... and why where you fly from and what day you book can affect the cost of your holiday

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Travellers willing to fly on a Tuesday rather than a Sunday could save up to £145 per person on their airfare, according to new research looking into holiday trends. 

Ireland is the cheapest place to fly to from the UK, with flights priced at £90.98 on average, followed by the Netherlands at £94, other UK destinations at £96.62 and Denmark at £112.56.

Flights to the United Arab Emirates are the cheapest for long-haul visitors, according to data taken from 2.1million flights booked between August 2015 and July 2016 on website Cheapflights. 

Ireland is the cheapest destination to fly to  from the UK with flights at £90.98 on average

Unsurprisingly, destinations in Europe were the cheapest for those living in the UK to travel to due to the distance.

But eight of the top 20 most popular countries searched for on the website were further afield, suggesting that holidaymakers are not put off by the higher prices of longer flights. 

The most searched-for destination was Spain, but Thailand, Australia, Pakistan, Canada and China all featured in the list. 

The cheapest long-haul flights were to the UAE at an average of £366 per person. It was followed by flights to Iran, priced at £384 on average, then Hong Kong at £519, Thailand at £521 and China for £529. 

Choosing a less popular destination, even if it's within the same geographical area, can also cut costs, although with any destination you'll also need to factor in other costs such as accommodation, living costs and the currency rate.

The United Arab Emirates is the cheapest destination for long-haul flights

For example, by travelling to Phuket instead of Ko Samui in Thailand you could save £150 and flying to Cancun instead of Cuba is £112 cheaper.

In Scandinavia, flights to Copenhagen were the cheapest on average at £105, compared to £248 for Iceland and £187 for Helsinki. 

The day you fly can also make a difference with flights on a Tuesday coming out cheapest and around £145 cheaper per person than flying on a Sunday - the most expensive day to travel.

Swapping the destination of your trip with one nearby could cut costs significantly

Where you live in the UK can also affect the price of your flight. 

For example, when flying to New York from the South East you would pay an average of £541 but the same destination from the South West was £465, £482 from Manchester and £674 from Doncaster.

The same price difference was found for flights from the UK to Bangkok. 

Average flight prices from the South West were £588 while flying from Edinburgh was £474, from Cardiff £628 and from Norwich £672. 

Andrew Shelton, managing director of Cheapflights, comments:  'The data enables us to make some predictions and recommendations for travel in 2017.

'Whilst the data showed us that we can expect the USA to remain popular, it only ranks 11th in long haul affordability, and is some ten per cent more expensive than its neighbour, Canada. 

'2017 could also be when Iran finally starts to come in from the cold. British Airways and Air France have added flights this year, and our data shows Tehran to be cheaper than more traditional "exotic" destinations for Brits like Hong Kong, Singapore or Bangkok. 

'If visa restrictions also loosen, it could be a real possibility for British travellers who've long dreamt of visiting.'  

Separate research this week has picked out Nice in France as the cheapest destination for a family holiday this October half term. 

The total price of a family holiday with two adults and two children came out at £972, including flights and hotel prices.

It was followed by Sardinia in Italy, at £1,076, Dubrovnik in Croatia, at £1,114 then Majorca in Spain at £1,148. 

The research, compiled by online currency provider, No 1 Currency, looked at holiday destinations for those seeking some winter sun and lists ten of the cheapest destinations with temperatures, of between 21 and 29C. 

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