The Best Time to Book a Vacation | Pacaso (2024)

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The Best Time to Book a Vacation | Pacaso? ›

If you're planning an international trip, the report recommends booking about 60 days out, but not more than four months before your trip. You may want to book a bit farther out if you need a very specific flight time or are traveling to a destination with few options for flights and routes.

When it comes to accommodations most of the best deals and lowest rates are going to be found ahead of time. This is to encourage guests to book in advance so that the hotels and resorts can get guaranteed occupancy in the future. Generally, the best deals can be found six months before the desired travel date.

Instead, consider booking flights and hotels on weekdays, particularly Tuesdays and Wednesdays, for potentially lower prices and less crowded experiences. However, it's always a good idea to research and compare prices across different days and factors before finalizing your travel plans.”

Book one to three months in advance

Last-minute flight deals aren't super common and you risk not getting a seat at all because your desired flight might ultimately sell out. If you're flying internationally, you'll want to look two to eight months out.

For most vacations, it's advisable to begin planning at least six months in advance. This timeframe allows you to research destinations, compare prices and make reservations without the pressure of last-minute booking.

The myth has been going around for years, but the truth is that flight prices don't go down on Tuesdays. To be fair, they did at one point in time, and savvy travelers could score a great deal late on a Tuesday night.

Book your flight early.

More important than booking flights on a specific day of the week is booking flights during the "ideal booking window." According to Expedia's Air Travel Hacks report, international flights should be booked 60 days out and domestic flights should be booked 28 days out for the best savings.

Specifically, plane tickets usually don't get cheaper closer to the departure date or if you book too early—more than five months in advance. Instead, flights tend to be the least expensive when you book between 5.5 and 1.5 months (164 and 46 days) in advance of your departure date.

Being flexible with your dates and destination is often the key to finding great last-minute vacation deals. But even though prices may become lower in the weeks preceding your departure, it is usually cheaper to book your travel in advance, particularly if you are traveling outside of the US.

- Advanced booking allows you to take your time, and find early booking deals and discounts which could dramatically bring the price of your holiday down to the same bracket as when booking last minute. - A better variety of hotels and hotel rooms will be available to you when booking in advance.

What is the ideal time for a vacation? ›

Science says that the ideal vacation length is between 7 to 10 days. However, it's important to consider individual needs and preferences when planning a vacation. By following these tips, you can plan a vacation that allows you to fully recharge and enjoy the benefits of time away from the daily grind.

In our experience, while fantastic deals can pop up at any time, the best time to book a flight (what we call the Goldilocks Window) is 1–3 months ahead for domestic travel and 2–8 months ahead for international travel—unless your trip is around a popular holiday or peak travel time, or you have very specific travel ...

The best time to travel domestically in the US is either during spring (late March to late May) or autumn (late September to late October). Since these are the shoulder seasons before and after summer, these months have milder temperatures as well as fewer visitors in the most popular destinations.

Interestingly, the report found that domestic economy tickets are about 5% cheaper when you book (not fly!) on a Sunday. Traveler tip: If your schedule is flexible, try to fly on less popular days of the week. For example, you can often save by traveling on Thursdays or Saturdays, avoiding Fridays and Sundays.

As previously mentioned, booking airfare on Sunday is cheaper than other days of the week, especially Fridays. Be willing to fly mid-week. Since Thursdays tend to be the cheapest day to fly, see if you can tweak your travel plans so you depart and fly home during the week instead of on weekend days. Set price alerts.

Figuring out the best time to book a hotel isn't an exact science — there's plenty of variation throughout the industry. But if we're looking at statistics, the lowest prices for hotel rooms are typically found just 15 days before your stay. Yes, last-minute bookings are (usually) better.

“It all comes down to supply and demand,” says Colleen Carswell, former hotel director of sales turned hotel solutions strategist. “Most of the time, you'll actually save much more by booking at the last minute.” Hotels need rooms filled in order to make money.

As previously mentioned, booking airfare on Sunday is cheaper than other days of the week, especially Fridays. Be willing to fly mid-week. Since Thursdays tend to be the cheapest day to fly, see if you can tweak your travel plans so you depart and fly home during the week instead of on weekend days.