I always like planning ahead for anything and vacations are no different. There are so many advantages to why you should book your trips earlier, especially if you’re planning to go on multiple vacations a year as I do! But before I get into the details, check out my Pre-Trip Planner And Checklist to help you plan out your trip better and start determining the Best Times To Book Your Flights For The Best Prices.
1 – You Can Get Better Deals And Save Money
I find that when you book your trips earlier, prices are much better and you get to watch the flights and hotels that you have an eye on for a longer period of time so that you can be aware of the price range and know what you have to spend, as well as have the opportunity to book them at the best prices. As you probably know, the closer you make your bookings toward your travel days, the more likely you’ll have to pay a higher price. Here are the Best Ways To Save Money On Flights and Hotels For Your Next Vacation.
2 – You Have Time To Save Up When You Plan Earlier
Anytime I book a trip, the most important thing for me to do is to secure my flights early. Then go on to book hotels, and finally any excursions or other activities. This also allows you to get your biggest travel purchases out of the way and secures your spot while giving yourself time to save up for the rest of what you think you’ll be spending on your trip. Another great thing about why you should book your trips earlier is that you can book your hotels now and pay in person when you reach your destination such as on Hotels.com. Doing this also gives you different options and enough time in choosing your accommodations since you can secure your hotel, but cancel for free (for the most part) and book elsewhere if you find that another place catches your eye or fits your needs more.
3 – You Are More Likely To Get The Time Off Work Approved
If you work and can only travel around your work schedule like a lot of people do, it would probably be good if you book your trips earlier to make sure you get your time off approved and before everyone else asks for the same days off (especially around the holidays). I plan almost a year in advance for my travels sometimes – at least knowing where I would like to visit allows me to determine the general months and time frames of when I’d like to take time off. By the start of January, I’ve already booked certain dates I need off until August for the most part and I’m probably the only one to do this at my job, so I always get approved. But the company I currently work for is also pretty flexible with us taking vacation time, but I need to request the days off early just in case! If you’re a remote worker or have even more flex time around work, here’s How To Work And Travel At The Same Time.
4 – More Time To Prepare
Just like having more time to save up for your travels, booking your trips earlier allows you to have more time to prepare. Depending on what you’re planning for your trip or the length of your travels, it may take some time, planning, and other resources to make it all happen. Preparing for your trip in advance can help you with having everything you need available to you by the time you take off. Also, if there are really popular restaurants or tourist attractions that require reservations, you get more options and availability for the dates and times you want to visit.
5 – You Have More Choices And Availability
I’ve touched on this in points 1 and 5, but it’s true! You have more choices and availability for your flights and accommodations that could otherwise be sold out especially if they’re very popular, and even other activities you want to do. I know it’s a lot of work planning things out to a T, and sometimes you may even want to wing it, but if you know something is well-known with tourists, look into getting those reserved for the dates and times you want as soon as possible. I’ve visited places where even booking a month in advance is not enough and therefore I had to skip that item on my list completely. Some restaurants even have a year-long waitlist so if you can, make sure you book your trips earlier so you can make your vacation worth it. Because you may not visit the same place twice, why not do it all at once while you can?
6 – Have Peace Of Mind
Booking your travels earlier allows you to have a piece of mind, especially if you have the option to cancel if anything comes up. You no longer have to constantly check availability or prices and find the comfort you likely booked your vacation for the best time and prices possible. All you need to do is wait for the date of your upcoming trip to approach! I always feel so much better when my flights and hotels are booked and locked in and I can take my time to plan or book any details to go along with it to make it a great trip.
7 – Have Something To Look Forward To
I feel restless when I don’t have a trip booked and will constantly look for days that can work out for me to make it happen. Once I have any of my trips booked (whether it’s a local road trip, national or international) I immediately feel peace as well as excitement to know that I have something great to look forward to. After spending a lot of time working and doing other errands that may occur in daily life, it feels good knowing that soon I will be able to go on another adventure and give myself a break I very much need. Even though for the most part, my travels are so jampacked and adventurous that I need a vacation after my vacation.
8 – You Can Schedule Your Life Ahead Of Time
Another great reason you should book your trip earlier is that so you know your own calendar and the dates you are actually available for others. When people go away on vacation, the average time away is about 1-3 weeks. You can easily tell your friends and family when you’re away in case they have plans throughout the year so that you can still attend other events and get-togethers and know you’ll be available instead of missing it all. I know this has helped my personal schedule and calendar a lot as I do get very busy as time goes on in the year. I find that using an agenda to schedule everything in helps me keep track of everything I need to do and everywhere I need to be. Maybe I’m a little old school, but I prefer using physical agendas where I can write and schedule everything down. Not only do I not need to rely on technology, but it also looks aesthetically better.
Don’t forget to check out my Travel Guides for additional travel resources and learn about everything you need to get ready for a trip.