Report reveals best and WORST days to fly this summer after jet fuel airline price hikes

With many people hoping and preparing for a beach holiday this summer, airports and stations will be full despite increases in airline prices since the Iran war.

Travel costs have soared since the latest conflict in the Middle East, which also created chaos for the jet set when 13,000 flights were cut worldwide in May.

Research has found that the time you choose to travel can have a big impact on your experience.

Since the beginning of the jet fuel crisis, early morning flights have consistently delivered the highest passenger satisfaction, while late evening and overnight trips have performed the worst.

Wednesday is now highlighted as the best day of the week for travel, while Sunday stands out as the worst.

The happiest travelers were those who flew early in the day; The best time to travel turns out to be 4am, followed by 8am and 7am.

In contrast, passenger satisfaction drops late at night, with 23:00 being ranked as the worst time to fly.

HappyOrNot, creators of the ubiquitous ‘smiley face’ customer feedback terminals in airports and retail outlets around the world, analyzed data from January to May this year.

According to the study, the happiest time was 4 a.m., when satisfaction peaked at 87.8 percent.

This was followed by 8 a.m. with 87.3 percent and 7 a.m. with 86.7 percent; Wednesday, the best day to fly, received a positive score of 86.6 percent.

Passenger satisfaction dropped steadily during evening flight hours; At 23:00, the satisfaction score was 78.7 percent.

While satisfaction dropped to 79.4 percent at midnight, the study showed 80.1 percent positive feedback for the 22:00 flight time.

Meanwhile, Sunday had a lower satisfaction score than Wednesday, with 84.1 percent positive feedback.

Miika Mäkitalo, CEO of HappyOrNot, said: ‘Despite the travel disruption experienced in recent months as a result of the jet fuel crisis, these findings show that travelers still have some control over their airport experience.

‘While early departures tend to provide a smoother experience, possibly due to lower passenger volumes, shorter queues and fewer additional delays, satisfaction often declines later in the day as delays accumulate and services become more limited.’

He added: ‘The difference between Wednesday and Sunday may be linked to passenger volumes and travel patterns throughout the week.

Since the beginning of the jet fuel crisis, early morning flights have consistently delivered the highest passenger satisfaction, while late evening and overnight trips have performed the worst

‘Midweek travel is often associated with quieter airports, shorter queues and less operational pressure, all of which can contribute to a smoother experience.

‘In contrast, Sundays tend to see higher passenger numbers as holidaymakers and business travelers return home before the working week, placing a greater burden on airport services and potentially affecting overall satisfaction.’

As millions prepare for summer holidays, data shows that peak travel season remains the most frustrating time of year to get through an airport.

Based on feedback from travelers throughout the year from June 2025 to May 2026, August was the worst month for travel, with traveler satisfaction falling to its lowest level of the year at 82.4 percent.

July follows closely behind at 82.5 percent, making the school summer holiday period the lowest-rated period of the year for airport experiences.

Summer travel seems even more stressful than the Christmas season.

December’s holiday travel rush saw satisfaction drop to 83.4 percent due to severe weather conditions and flight cancellations.

Both July and August scored even lower, making the summer holiday period the most frustrating time of the year to fly.