British Airways' longhaul bookings have rocketed 20 per cent recently compared with the same period last year amid Met office predictions of continued unsettled weather and above average rainfall in some parts of the UK.

The USA is the favoured destination yet again for longhaul travel this August as holiday-makers jet off to escape the British summer wash-out and enjoy the spending power of the strong pound. New York, LA, San Francisco and Boston feature in the top five longhaul destinations, with Hong Kong also appearing.

British Airways is expecting to carry nearly three million people during August with more than half of travellers choosing a destination within Europe. Paris, Rome, Nice, Madrid and Barcelona are the five most popular destinations as sunny weather is expected across parts of Central and Southern Europe.

Robert Boyle, British Airways' commercial director, said: "August is set to be another bumper month. More than half of customers are choosing to stay within Europe as they go in search of sunshine to escape the torrential rain we have experienced across the UK in recent weeks. It seems that those travelling from Britain just want to guarantee that they can be sure of some sun for their summer break.

"Further afield, the USA continues to be the destination of choice for longhaul travellers as holidaymakers continue to benefit from the weak dollar. This is reflected in the popularity of city breaks in the USA - with travellers continuing to benefit from the exchange rate by picking up bargains while they're away.

"We're also making air travel easier and less stressful than ever for families. They can check in online and print their boarding passes before they leave home and benefit from priority boarding to beat the queues at the airport. Once onboard, kids are entertained with dedicated channels on our in-flight entertainment system and special activity packs. Our tasty kids meals and feed families first policy all make for an easier journey."

Before leaving for the airport travellers are advised to follow the following simple checklist:

• Check baggage allowances for hand and hold luggage
• Ensure any liquid containers in hand baggage are placed in a clear, plastic re-sealable bag and quantities do not exceed UK Department for Transport/EU rules
• Enter Advance Passenger Information on www.ba.com (if required)
• Check-in on www.ba.com 24 hours before departure. Select seats and print boarding cards online
• Have all essential travel documents to hand
• Check flight status on 'Arrivals and Departures' pages of www.ba.com before leaving for the airport
• Do not arrive at the airport too early to avoid causing unnecessary congestion at the airport. Longhaul travellers should not arrive more than three hours before departure and shorthaul travellers from London Heathrow and Gatwick should not arrive more than two and a half hours before departure. Shorthaul travellers from other UK airports should not arrive more than 90 minutes before departure
• Customers who do not check in online are encouraged to use a check-in kiosk at the airport
• Customers with bags to check into the hold should take these to the 'Bag Drop' desks before proceeding to Central Security Search
• Leave sufficient time to clear security