catch a flight — travel by plane
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to get on a plane in order to travel somewhere, usually at a specific time.
Say it like a native
Textbook I am required to board my aeroplane at 6 a.m.
Native I've got to catch a flight at 6.
'Board my aeroplane' is stiff in casual talk; 'catch a flight' is natural.
Pattern: catch a/the flight (to/from place)
In use
- I have to leave early to catch a flight to Paris.travel
- Last year, I almost missed my chance to catch a flight because there was heavy traffic on the way to the airport.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ I need to catch the flight to home.
✓ I need to catch a flight home. / the flight home.
It's 'fly home' / 'a flight home' — no 'to' before 'home'.
Common collocations
catch a flight— a flight to, an early flight, the red-eye, miss
Don't confuse it
'Catch a flight' is about getting on a plane at the right time, not just flying in general.