When Should You Book Travel?

​When should you book travel? 

The short, not especially helpful, answer is "it depends!" There's no magic formula, and it depends a lot on personal preference. We've had people book trips a year and a half in advance, and we've had people book trips a week and a half in advance. But, that said, here are some things to consider:

• If you're booking a European river cruise, where the boats aren't huge, book as soon as availability opens up, usually a year and a half in advance. Prices predictably rise with time, so the sooner the better.
• Considering an all-inclusive beach vacation? The cost is going to vary dramatically based on two things: time of year (late summer and fall are cheapest, because it's super hot and also hurricane season), and flight pricing. Flight pricing is erratic, to say the least. My recommendation is always to book as soon as you know you want to go, but make sure to get travel insurance that includes a one-time price drop, so if prices do go down, you can take advantage of that.
• Want to book something without paying in full up front? Most packages require paying in full when you are 45, 60, or 90 days out, depending on the destination and other details. So know that if you're inside that window, you might be paying the full amount when booking.
• Considering one of our group tours? You can arrange monthly payments, so if you book sooner, there are more months till the final deadline, and therefore your monthly payments will be smaller. 
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What about flights? Flights can't be booked more than a year out. Should you book at, say, 11 months out? You certainly can, if prices are good. One thing to keep in mind: schedule changes after booking have become a common occurrence. That is something to be prepared for, regardless of when you book your travel. Keep in mind, though, that if the airline changes your flight significantly, you do not have to accept the flight they chose--you can look for other comparable flights, or cancel, if you choose, without penalty. So we find the best approach is to choose a flight you like when the price is good (which varies immensely, but generally is best at least a couple months in advance) but be at peace with the fact that the flight schedule may change, and you may have to manage that schedule change (or have your travel agent manage it--one of the benefits of working with one. 🙂 )

What about last-minute deals? A common misconception is that, due to the disruptiveness of the pandemic, airlines and hotels will be desperate to fill space at the last minute and will charge less. I wish this was true, but it tends not to be. That doesn't mean you can't find a perfectly good price when you're close to your travel date (ask me about the time I booked a trip to Mexico with two days notice!), but it's unfortunately not a strategy to get unusually good deals you couldn't get earlier. 

The main takeaway: There's no magic time frame to find the best pricing. Once you know what you want to do, if the price looks acceptable to you, go ahead and book it, and make sure you have good travel insurance. 

Do you have a trip in mind that you're considering? Want to talk about the best time to book that specific itinerary? Just email us and we'll get right back to you!