Taking a vacation is a great way to recharge, but it can also strain your budget if you’re not careful. Fortunately, travel costs aren’t set in stone. With the right timing and approach, you can enjoy a well-deserved break without overspending. Here are the best times of year to vacation and when to plan them.
If you’re looking to vacation for less, consider these two options:
Like most things you buy, travel becomes more affordable when demand goes down. When fewer people are booking flights, hotel rooms, or activities, prices tend to follow suit. That’s where smart planning comes in. Most travel destinations have an off-season, when the crowds are smaller and the costs are lower. This might line up with the general slow season for travel, like late fall or early spring, or reflect the destination’s specific off-peak period, which can help you stretch your travel budget without cutting corners on the experience.
A great option for a less expensive vacation may be to travel during the shoulder seasons. These fall right between the high travel season and the off-season. While this will vary by location, for many popular travel destinations, shoulder season falls in spring and early autumn. Vacationing during these times can mean getting a lot more bang for your buck, sightseeing without the huge crowds and potentially having ideal weather conditions.
Airfare can be the priciest item in your vacation budget. And there’s always that challenge of finding the perfect time to book your flight. While this can vary by season and destination, in general, airfare tends to be lowest 6-8 weeks before the flight.
Hotel prices, like airfare, tend to rise and fall with demand. The difference is that with hotels, last-minute deals are often easier to find. Platforms like HotelTonight and Hotels.com specialize in helping travelers snag steep discounts just a day or two before check-in. Even better, many hotels offer flexible cancellation policies, so you can book a room in advance and still cancel or rebook if a better deal pops up later.
Canceling a vacation rental, like an Airbnb, isn’t usually as simple as canceling a hotel stay. Most platforms suggest booking around four weeks in advance to lock in availability and pricing. If you’re feeling flexible, you can wait until the last minute in hopes of scoring a great deal. Just know that it’s a gamble—you might land a hidden gem, or you could be left with an overpriced rental that doesn’t quite fit your needs.
If you’d like to take a cruise in the next year or so, think April. You’ll find the cheapest cruise rates during this month. It’s best to book it sometime between January and March. This is the cruise industry’s “wave season,” when you can score the best discounts and promotions.
Are you planning a vacation? Use our guide to find the time of year that’s right for your dream getaway and your budget, too!