'Little known' travel hack lets Brits save hundreds on long haul flights

A crafty, lesser-known trick that could save you hundreds on your next long-haul flight has been unveiled. Statistics show that British airfares in 2024 were a whopping 66 per cent higher than nine years prior, as reported by the Office for National Statistics.

However, all is not lost - Brits with a case of wanderlust can still jet off on a budget and save up to a staggering 55 per cent when travelling to far-flung destinations like Asia, Australia or New Zealand, according to The Times.

The first tip is to book directly with a Chinese airline - although this often requires you to provide all your passport details at this stage rather than at check-in.

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Research analysing economy return flights from London to ten destinations over ten days in January found that Chinese carriers offered the best deal in eight out of ten instances.

Chinese airlines were discovered to be between 15 and 34 per cent cheaper on average.

However, flyers may find their comfort slightly compromised, with potential long layovers, for instance.

Destinations examined included Auckland, Bali, Bangkok, Beijing, Brisbane, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Sydney and Tokyo.

The most affordable return flight to Auckland with Air New Zealand was priced at £1,653 - totalling 27 hours and 30 minutes, including a four-hour stopover in Vancouver.

However, China Southern Airlines was offering the same journey from London for just £1,330, albeit with a six-hour layover.

It's not just jetting off to Oceania that comes at a steal - a trip to Tokyo with Japan Airlines via Madrid from London will cost you £996, and the flight duration is 19 hours.

Choosing to fly with China Eastern Airlines via Shanghai allows you to save 29 per cent, even though the journey time is an hour and 45 minutes shorter and costs a mere £705.

A direct British Airways (BA) flight to Seoul, South Korea will set you back £1,154 with Korean Air and takes 12 hours and 25 minutes.

The same flight with Air China, which routes you through Beijing, only lasts an hour and a half longer - but is priced at just £539.

It's believed that Chinese airlines can offer cheaper tickets due to their lower operating costs.

However, political factors also play a role in escalating costs for customers.

Two years ago, Moscow prohibited EU, British and Canadian airlines from using its airspace as a retaliation to sanctions imposed by the West.

This forced these airlines to opt for lengthier and more expensive detours.

Conversely, China, who maintains good relations with Russia, was granted access to Russian airspace and has managed to keep costs low for consumers.

The CEO of Dutch flag carrier KLM recently urged the EU to impose their own tariffs on Chinese airlines in an attempt to level the playing field.