I don’t know about you, but for me, one of the most stressful parts of booking a trip is finding the right time to make my purchase. While part of me wants to lock my plans in as I make them, another part of me knows that being a bit more strategic can yield good results in terms of the price I’ll pay.
With that in mind, today I want to revisit what some of the data suggests about when to book travel. I originally looked at this topic in 2021, but nearly five years later, some newly released info has arrived. So, let’s take a look at the latest data as well as what’s changed. Plus, I’ll share some other tips that I’ve found help me save the most on my hotel stays.
How Far in Advance Should You Book a Hotel Room?
What the Data Says
In my mind, I always figured that I should book my hotel early. Alas, it seems as though last-minute bookings can actually be money savers. According to data from Hotels.com, it’s true that prices can fall as the date of the booking nears.
The site found that the “sweet spot” for hotel bookings is between 8 and 14 days beforehand. In fact, those who made their reservation during this timeframe saved an average of 23% compared to those who secured their room more than four months in advance.
However, previous insights suggest that this trend may not be the case across the board — and that it can be a very different story when it comes to specialized destinations. For example, back in 2021, the site Hopper reported that for rooms in beautiful Sedona, Arizona rates climbed significantly within the 100-day window. Meanwhile, other leisure destinations such as Las Vegas and Orlando saw rates remaining fairly steady.
Of course, this “sweet spot” suggestion may also be a no-go for special events, holidays, and the like. Therefore, you’ll want to be aware of what may be going on in the city you plan to visit, lest you assume you can just book last-minute without issue.
As for other ways to save on your stay, some are fairly obvious. For one, Fridays and Saturdays are typically the most expensive nights to stay, whereas Sundays (when weekend travelers have already headed home) are typically much cheaper, as are the subsequent weekdays. Hotels.com found that starting your stay on a Sunday can save 15% versus starting on Friday. Also, while Friday is the priciest check-in day domestically, internationally, it’s Saturday that typically costs the most.
Again, this might not be the case when it comes to holidays and the like. In a similar vein, the time of year and the destination will also play a big role in dictating room rates. On the whole, though, data found that January has the lowest average daily rates while October had the highest.
So what about the best day of the week to actually book your hotel? According to SkyScanner’s analysis (last updated in 2023), Friday is the best day to book a domestic hotel room, with Thursday proving best for international bookings. That said, the advantage may not be as strong as you’d think, as savings amounted to just 2%. International savings were a bit stronger at 6%. Again, they also found that “the week of” was the best booking window for both domestic and international stays… which sounds scary to me, but we’ll talk about that in a moment.
Lastly, Hotels.com also tracked the locales where room prices have dipped the most in the past year. Internationally, Alassio Liguria, Italy (31%); Leipzig, Germany (25%); Hanoi, Vietnam (22%); Bournemouth, United Kingdom (16%), and Dundee, Scotland (15%) saw the largest drops. Domestically, the biggest year-over-year decreases were observed in Lahaina, Hawaii (27%), Burlington, Vermont (13%); North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (10%); Las Vegas, Nevada (10%); and Bozeman, Montana (9%).
My Experience and Tips
Book Direct Early, Try Third-Party Late
As someone who used to swear by third-party services like Expedia for my bookings, I’ve since changed my tone. With the exception of using Amex Travel to book Fine Hotels & Resorts stays, I now prefer to book directly with the hotel for a few reasons. First, with my Platinum card earning me Gold status with Hilton and Marriott, I want to be able to take advantage of these perks by booking directly (the same goes for Caesars and MGM bookings in Vegas).
More importantly, though, booking directly often affords you more flexibility in terms of cancellations. Thus, if you do check back and see that a price has fallen, you could theoretically cancel your original booking and rebook at the better rate. This is actually something I did on a recent Vegas trip, saving myself about $50.
Of course, I do still see aggregators, such as Expedia, Hotels.com, Travelocity, etc. as being helpful for last-minute bookings — especially if you’re not too picky about where you’re staying. On that note, while it’s been a while since I used it, I previously relied on Hotwire to book affordable accommodations near Disneyland. I imagine similar experiences are still possible and could be worth a shot if you’re looking for an impromptu getaway.
Luxury on a Budget
Speaking of Amex, I’ve found that the Platinum Card allows me to enjoy a small taste of the good life — or at least the chance to check out some interesting properties — without paying the full price. That’s mostly thanks to the card’s semi-annual credit, which allows you to earn $300 back on Fine Hotels & Resorts or Hotel Collection bookings made between January and June, as well as another credit to be used between July and December. Recently, that’s how we got to enjoy a stay at The Nash in Nashville, which proved to be a great weekend getaway with minimum out of pocket expense.
I realize it seems a bit silly to use the phrase “on a budget” when we’re talking about a card that carries an $895 annual fee, but I honestly do get positive value from the Platinum card in spite of that.
If you do want to start smaller, you can consider something like the Capital One Venture card (which occasionally offers a travel credit as part of welcome bonus) or Chase Sapphire Preferred (which includes a $100 Chase Travel Hotel credit each cardholder anniversary year) — both of which have annual fees of just $95. Or, if you’re brand loyal, you might consider a card that earns a free night certificate for your hotel chain of choice.
In my experience, having these hotel credits and free nights can be a great way to essentially pay up front for perks later, which can also enable a nice little luxury splurge at a price you can live with.
Do Some Monitoring of Your Own
When I get ready to book a trip, I check prices fairly frequently. In doing so, I do sometimes observe some fluctuations. For instance, there have been times when I’ve seen that prices are higher when I run my search on a Saturday than they are when I look again on Tuesday. I should also mention that I run these searches while in “Incognito mode” so that my searches aren’t saved on the site. These mini-research stretches won’t help you to predict the future but could give you a better idea of what your final target price should be.
Don’t Stress Yourself Out
If you’re traveling and want to stay at a specific hotel (or even just a particular area), is it better to just book the room at a price you’re comfortable with or hold out for a deal? Personally, I’d have to go with the former option. Saving 13% is great, but not if it means me stressing out about prices potentially going the wrong way or, worse, the property booking up for the dates I need. Therefore, I’m more inclined to just book when I’m ready and not have to worry.
When it comes to booking a hotel room, there are several factors that will dictate when the best time to book is. From destination to dates, it’s hard to say for sure what experience you’ll be in for. Ultimately, what matters most is that you find the accommodations you want at a price you’re willing to pay. But, if you’re inclined to gamble by waiting it out, your bet may just pay off.