How far in advance..,

[nala]

Do you book trips? Flights? Cruises? International vs domestic?

 

[HGar]

Sometimes a month or two in advance, sometimes a week or two in advance LOL.

I just took our daughter to Egypt and Thailand - that was booked in December for a February trip. My son spent 2022-2024 travelling between Australia and the US - those ones I would book a week or two out depending on the schedule.

Interstate here in Australia we’ve been known to book a couple of days out.

 

[Lookinagain]

I assume you're asking about vacations, and not work trips. Domestic I would generally book at least a few weeks ahead of time, mainly so I can get the hotel that I want, but also I think the closer I book to the time of the trip seems to bring higher airfares. International, I always book a few months out. When I was travelling a lot internationally, there seemed to be a window of when airfares were the best, depending on the country, so I'd try to book then. Also certain days of the week seem to be cheaper. I was travelling a lot so I had a pretty good handle on it. Also, same reason for hotels. I like smaller hotels so wanted to make sure there was availability.

 

[tyty333]

I've been traveling with friends and they like to book 5 - 6 months out. I think its because they are trying to get all
their trips scheduled for the year. Anyway, so I have to be on their schedules. No biggie. If its up to me, its usually
a couple of months out, depending on where I'm going and whether it will be a busy/touristy place.

Above is for domestic flights.

 

[Avondale]

International flights - about 3-4 months in advance, that’s when you get the best prices.

Accommodations for international vacations - often as early as 6 months in advance. I like to have my pick and I plan ahead.

I don’t fly domestically and book accommodations whenever I plan the trips. Sometimes it’s months in advance, sometimes weeks. One has a lot more freedom in one’s own country.

 

[tyty333]

International flights - about 3-4 months in advance, that’s when you get the best prices.

Accommodations for international vacations - often as early as 6 months in advance. I like to have my pick and I plan ahead.

I don’t fly domestically and book accommodations whenever I plan the trips. Sometimes it’s months in advance, sometimes weeks. One has a lot more freedom in one’s own country.

You dont get your flights before your accommodations? I would be worried that I would arrange accommodations then wouldnt
be able to find a suitable/reasonably priced airfare. Of course, if the accommodations are refundable, not a big deal, but if not
then what?

 

[LilAlex]

Spouse does this > 6 months ahead for international. Domestic, no numbers; we sometimes stumble across cheap fares and go visit family almost on the spur of the moment although work is such that I more typically need a month or two of lead time to clear my calendar.

We always start with the flight and work backwards -- unless it were a destination with only one premier accommodation (but that is not our travel style).

 

[Avondale]

You dont get your flights before your accommodations? I would be worried that I would arrange accommodations then wouldnt
be able to find a suitable/reasonably priced airfare. Of course, if the accommodations are refundable, not a big deal, but if not
then what?

Always refundable accommodations. Anything can happen. I haven't had to cancel a vacation yet, but it's always a possibility. I can accept to be out of the airfare since it's usually a relatively small portion of the overall budget, especially when you fly low cost within Europe like I do. But I don't book non-refundable accommodations.

 

[dk168]

I like to plan well ahead, and have booked my hair appointments up to July 2026 so far.

I started to plan for 2026's camping trips a month ago even before the start of this year's camping season.

For big foreign intercontinental trips, I normally have a 5-year plan.

I monitor flights and Channel tunnel crossing prices.

I find flights, hotels, tunnel crossings and campsites do not allow booking more than 1 year in advance.

So booking 1 year in advance is the norm for me.

I already know the dates for next year's big convention for my service charity club in May 2026 and have already started to plan a camping trip around it.

As I have mentioned, I am a planner. Also, as a solo female traveller, I like to plan and book ahead as it is my way of minimising risks.

DK

 

[Matata]

6 months to a year for international trips depending on the popularity of the destinations; a few months within the US depending on the same.

 

[kenny]

No.

I lived overseas in 3 distant countries for most of my 6 years of active duty in the US military.
That rich and fulfilling experience spoiled me for short term travel.

For me the tourist industry is a giant exploitive money-grabbing turn off.
It's a monster.
It's often extremely invasive to the locals, and often drives housing prices up so they can't live there any more.
It's also bad for the planet, climate change and all that.

I love everything about staying home here in a nice house, nice neighborhood, in a So. California beach city with perfect weather.

Sometimes I think there is a microscopic chance I'd some day relocate to some distant country.
But then expats also drive up the prices for the locals.

Also, Americans are more hated now than ever.
MAHA ... Make Americans Hated Again.
Gee, I can't imagine why we're hated so much.

 

[rcjtraveler]

For international I usually book 6 plus months ahead. Cruises may be even longer ahead. For flights I start 6-8 months ahead then track until I find a reasonable rate. Always book the stay before the flight. I do plan a few years out as to where we might like to travel. Mainly because I enjoy planning trips and investigating areas.

For domestic travel I generally plan less than 6 months except popular areas that are booked longer out.

 

[Calliecake]

United Airlines recently announced they were reducing flights this summer due to economic uncertainty and decreased demand due to the tariffs. It will be interesting to see if other airline's also follow suit.

My guess is hotel rooms may be easier to book and may even be less expensive. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

 

[Lookinagain]

United Airlines recently announced they were reducing flights this summer due to economic uncertainty and decreased demand due to the tariffs. It will be interesting to see if other airline's also follow suit.

My guess is hotel rooms may be easier to book and may even be less expensive. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Were they talking about flights in or to the U.S? Or globally?

 

[Calliecake]

@Lookinagain, An NBC article stated United Airlines was cutting domestic flights by approximately 4% starting this summer. International flights were still strong.

 

[Lookinagain]

@Lookinagain, An NBC article stated United Airlines was cutting domestic flights by approximately 4% starting this summer. International flights were still strong.

Interesting. I thought it might be flights into the U.S.

 

[Calliecake]

Interesting. I thought it might be flights into the U.S.

That would have been my guess too.

 

[LilAlex]

I lived overseas in 3 distant countries for most of my 6 years of active duty in the US military.
That rich and fulfilling experience spoiled me for short term travel.

Well this is sad. So how many decades have you not traveled? I've had a lot of great meals but I've never felt they spoiled me for food -- I'll happily eat a handful of granola the morning after.

Most of us will only ever get the chance for short-term travel. With a family and a US-regulated and -credentialed skill set, I can't go live overseas for months or years without major disruption to income and kids' education, etc.

Depending on the destination, there are varying levels of authenticity that can be achieved. In Japan, for example, you can plan a very authentic visit and no one will be miserable because of you. In Lima, in contrast, there are only two or three neighborhoods -- out of hundreds -- that are deemed safe for tourists so we of course stayed there and it's a bit of a bubble. No, it was not authentic Latin American poverty -- but my US home neighborhood isn't "authentic" US violence, bigotry, and drug addiction, either.

We try to mix it up -- high and low -- when we travel. Michelin and street food and grocery-store meal-prep. Before an iconic hike, we all slept in the same bunk room. But we try to stay in one knock-your-socks off place toward the end of an international trip.

Plus, the world needs to see that not all Americans are a$$holes. We had some hilarious conversations with locals about our President between 4 and 8 years ago, if memory serves. By nature. most Americans who travel to the destinations we target tend to be of the more open-minded sort. (We do not trophy-hunt Big Game penned in corrals, for example.)