TRAVEL MUST-KNOWS

÷ NEW FLIGHTS Ryanair will start direct flights to Turkey from Dublin Airport later this month. The first direct flights between Dublin and Beijing, China will begin on June 12 with Hainan Airlines. Aer Lingus has been flying direct from Dublin to Seattle since the middle of last month, and from Dublin to Philadelphia since last March. ÷ NEW RYANAIR RULES Passengers travelling with Ryanair from June 13 (and who have not reserved seats) must remember to check in for their flights no more than two days prior to departure as otherwise, they will be hit with a charge. Previously, passengers could check in for flights for free for up to four days before departure. ÷ AUTUMN OFFERS You could half the price of your flights by travelling in autumn rather than summer. Aer Lingus currently has flight offers to North America — which are available for travel in September and October. Under those offers, you can get return flights from Dublin to New York, Toronto, Washington, Newark and Hartford from €338 return (€169 one-way) — a fraction of what you can expect to pay on summer flights. For example, in late May, this paper was quoted a price of €338 for a return Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to New York’s JFK Airport — based on one passenger flying out on Friday, October 12 and returning on Sunday, October 14. On the same day, this paper was quoted a price of €609 for a return Aer Lingus flight on the same route — but for a passenger flying out on Friday, July 6 and flying home on Sunday, July 8. These prices were based on the airline’s economy saver fare — which includes 10kg of cabin baggage and a complimentary meal, but does not include any checked baggage or advance seat selection. Aer Lingus also has flight offers on European flights — as long as you travel between October and the end of April. With this offer, the prices of one-way flights to Paris, Lisbon, Munich and Milan start from €40. ÷ TIP FOR AUTUMN TRAVELLERS For those planning a holiday for late 2018 or next year, booking too far ahead of travel can sometimes be a mistake. For example, the best time to book a flight out of Dublin to Bangkok is eight weeks in advance of travel, while you’re more likely to get the best deal on a flight to New York by booking 14 weeks in advance, according to Skyscanner.ie, which has a tool where you can check the best time to book a flight from Dublin to a number of different destinations. The cheapest time to book a flight to Amsterdam is 13 weeks in advance, while with Faro, it’s only four weeks in advance, according to Skyscanner. These findings are based on an analysis by Skyscanner of millions of flights out of Dublin. Remember, however, that by holding off on booking a flight, you are taking a risk that the price of a flight will go up. “Generally long-haul flights go into the system 11 months ahead,” said Clare Dunne of The Travel Broker. “This would include flights with the normal airlines to the likes of Australia and the Far East. You usually get the best long-haul prices the earlier you book — though there will always be exceptions and last-minute deals.”