Best time to buy Airplane Tickets

Why: Airlines make major pricing changes (and run fare sales) every week, typically on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings. Try not to buy airline tickets less than 2-3 weeks away from when you plan to fly out because the prices will suddenly increase. If you need to travel on a weekend, try to fly on a Saturday and avoid flying on Sundays to get a better deal. 

There are important exceptions to these patterns, mostly for very popular routes during very popular times where flights tend to fill up quickly and the most optimal time to buy tends to be earlier than the normal one to four months. Hawaii is a great example; the best time to buy flights to Hawaii is usually pretty close to the time they go on sale (11 months in advance). Flights around Christmas and Thanksgiving, and warm weather trips for Spring Break, also have a different dynamic and you’re generally better off booking sooner rather than later.

Consider booking much earlier than the 47 days in advance if: (1) you are traveling for a holiday; (2) you are traveling during the summer; (3) you are traveling with a family or large party (three or more travelers); (4) or, you are particular about your airline, number of stops, travel times, or seat assignments and you see only a few flights offered that you’d be happy with.

– Avoid booking too early (before four months) if all of these are true: (1) you are not traveling during the summer or for a holiday; (2) you are traveling by yourself; (3) and, you’re flexible on the airline and flight times.

 

Best time to get hotel reservations

Hotels often have specials on a seasonal basis. While hotel reservations should be made at least a month in advance, it’s always a good idea to call the hotel directly (not the 800 number) and find out which times of the year are their busiest (e.g. summer or during similar holidays). Hotels with many rooms to fill will often be willing to make a deal, while those almost booked to capacity are far less likely. If you’re staying at a property that serves mostly business travelers, you may find great weekend deals, while AirBnB’s and other leisure properties tend to have lower rates midweek.

For certain countries, know when the peak seasons to visit your destination are – such as wintertime in the Carribean or summertime in Europe. Rates will be very high at those times of year, so scheduling your trip for a less popular travel time could save you heaps on your hotel stay. With regards to Bahamas and Gulf of Mexico – you can save up to 50 percent by booking in Summer. From September to December, hotels in Hawaii usually drop 20 percent of their room rates. If you’re looking for a late-season ski trip, you should try booking a hotel in April or May.

 

Often at various hotels discounts may be found around 6pm or later on any evening, as the hotel is looking at all its remaining empty rooms and is – in theory – desperately keen to sell them at any price at all over and above its marginal cost of servicing an overnight stay (which is somewhere between $25 and $50, depending on what is included in the cost). This of course applies to some but not all hotels. Also if you’re going to try and get a last minute deal, always speak to the manager or supervisor. The employee at the front desk probably doesn’t have the authority to override the regular price and grant you a last-minute bargain. Alternatively try looking on Priceline and make your lowest bid on a hotel room. It is one of the best ways to get a deeply discounted 4 star hotel room. Please note though you may not always get the exact hotel you initially chose but hey a bargain is a bargain!

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