Want to take a vacation on a tight budget? Well, lace up your boots, because as seasoned travelers, our family of four knows a thing or two about getting the best deals on airfare and accommodation.
From a month-long train trip through Europe to all-inclusive resorts on an island paradise, we did it all thanks to my notoriously meticulous planning and semi-neurotic persistence.
What is our secret? It’s all a matter of time. Know when to book and the best times to visit – plus time your credit card purchases to save even more. Read on to learn how we managed to see the world on a budget and how you can use our vacation planning timeline to help you do the same.
When should you start planning a vacation?
For a significant trip, it’s best to prepare the groundwork about a year in advance. Shorter U.S. tours can be planned as little as six months in advance, but you’ll get the best deals on popular international destinations if you plan a year in advance.
This is especially true if you are taking a cruise, going to a popular amusement park during vacation, attending an international festival or celebration, or visiting a national park during peak season. And of course, destination weddings can require reservations up to 18 months or more in advance.
When should you travel or plan to take a vacation?
Part of planning a trip involves a lot of research into the destination. I try to find out when the peak tourist season is in that part of the world and then stagger my visit a month earlier or later. In the travel world, this is often called “shoulder season.”
Why stay on the shoulder?
Not only will you avoid crowds and seasonal price increases, but you’ll also enjoy lower airfares and cheaper hotel rooms. But pay attention to other factors when planning a trip, especially if you don’t know the destination. You won’t get much value from your vacation if bad weather leaves you at the hotel or the holiday closure ruins all your plans.
Your timeline to book the best travel deals
This is the timeline I follow to find the best deals and book a vacation for our family of four. Your mileage may vary based on this advice depending on the destination.
12 months before
About a year before a potential vacation, I explore the location to determine the best time to visit. I will also calculate costs and create a budget. In some cases, I open a sinking fund where I save a certain amount in savings each month to cover travel.
If you want a certain themed accommodation or a specific experience like a safari or cruise, consider booking now. Depending on the cancellation policy, you may still be able to change if plans change.
Want to use credit card rewards to save more? Sometimes I switch from my usual credit card to a card with travel benefits so I can start earning points a year or more in advance. This allows us to earn travel rewards to cover our family’s normal living expenses.
9 months before
If you are traveling abroad, take out your passport and check the expiration date. Planning for passport delays has been a very smart financial move for our family, since children’s passports expire more quickly than adults’ passports.
Expedited passport costs can add up, especially if you have to travel to a passport center that handles urgent travel requests. You can learn more about passport eligibility and renewal deadlines on the U.S. Department of State website.
Now is also a good time to make sure you have a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. These fees – which typically cost 3% of any transaction made in foreign currency – can add up quickly.
If you want to get through airport lines much faster with TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, you should also start gathering the necessary documents. TSA PreCheck suggests applying at least 60 days before planning to travel, but the global entry process can take much longer, up to six months. Some of the best travel credit cards can sometimes include an application fee credit for these programs.
6 months before
Now is when the rubber meets the road in booking a hotel or other accommodation, especially for international destinations or for a large group. You’ll generally find the best balance between room availability and rate by booking during this period.
If you’re traveling internationally or while on vacation, it’s also time to think about securing your plane ticket. The sweet spot between the best fare and duration for a three-stop flight can usually be found four to six months before peak travel dates.
Even when we travel domestically, I start setting flight alerts so I can watch for patterns in airfare costs. Generally, airfare will be cheaper when you fly on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
4 months before
Still following offers for domestic flights? Set a strict deadline for purchasing tickets and put it on your calendar so you don’t forget. And if you’re traveling but leaving pets behind, now’s the time to call to schedule pick-up because our favorite kennel fills up quickly.
This is also the best time to secure special stays, like a luxury Airbnb or other short-term rental. Options dwindle drastically three months from now, and if I delay, I’ll have to be further away from my destination than we’d prefer.
3 months before
It’s the last call to reserve a seat on a domestic flight. After this point, you are likely to pay a premium to get a spot. If you’ve been waiting to rack up credit card rewards, don’t put it off any longer. Some popular flights will start filling up six to eight weeks before your travel date. Your best chance of getting seats together is by booking in economy class.
Three months before the trip, I develop an itinerary with suggestions from the whole family. This includes activities, museums, sightseeing, restaurants and any specific tours we want to do.
Dining spots fill up quickly, so if you’re eager to snag a coveted table at a trendy local restaurant, make a reservation now.
If you haven’t earned enough credit card rewards to cover a flight, now is also a good time to consider redeeming your rewards for a gift card. The redemption fee will likely be lower than if you use points to book a flight, but using a gift card for a restaurant or activity can still help you save on your trip.
2 months before
So you’ve booked airfare and accommodation. What’s left to do? Start looking for activity deals, starting with any CityPass that might net you a discount on multiple bucket list items.
These passes can really be worth it, but you need to read the fine print. We save hundreds of visits to amusement parks, aquariums, museums and more by carefully scheduling our activities to maximize discounts.
6 weeks before
Planning to rent a car? This is always a careful calculation between how walkable a destination is, public transportation, and our ambitious itinerary. But if I’m going to buy a car on vacation, this is when I start shopping.
While it’s tempting to get the standard vehicle for the lowest price, I always consider whether we’ll need a car with rough terrain clearance or a luxury car for a longer day trip. Our recent trip to rural Vermont during mud season left me thankful I upgraded to a four-wheel-drive car.
You can avoid being upsold for car insurance at the rental counter if you reserve your rental car using a credit card that includes damage and theft coverage. It comes in two forms – secondary and primary. If it is secondary coverage, your personal insurance will still be necessary as it will be paid out first if necessary. Primary insurance is rare and coveted because it is paid for before your personal insurance.
1 month before
Check your health records and go to your local clinic or pharmacy to get any necessary immunizations. One of the most expensive mistakes we make on vacation is getting sick and spending all our time exploring the four walls of a hotel or Airbnb room.
If I have important items like hiking boots, electronics for the flight, or swimwear to buy, I usually gather them now because I have plenty of time to return or resize as needed before we leave.
Don’t forget to check your credit card offers when purchasing your supplies. Getting a few dollars back as a statement credit for a purchase you’ve already planned can add a little more money to your budget.
1-2 weeks before
Since most of the major components of the trip are already planned and paid for, I usually focus on making packing lists, doing laundry, and securing our home a week or two before departure.
However, it is advisable to do one last check and confirm any reservations you have made. Occasionally, I find that I have scheduled an activity or dining experience for the wrong day. With a week or two notice, I may not be able to reschedule, but I can usually cancel without financial penalty.
If we’re saving money on eating out by staying in an Airbnb or hotel room with a kitchen, I’ll make a menu and shopping list in advance so we don’t end up at the grocery store right after the flight feeling hungry and overwhelmed.
Some days before…
With careful planning, you’ll arrive and find yourself ready to relax without fear of missing out or having bills hanging over your head.
However, if the goal of your vacation is simply to enjoy the sun or solitude, you may want to leave most of your vacation to chance and happy circumstances.
As I discovered on a recent trip to Maui when I resisted scheduling every free minute, sometimes the best vacations happen when you expect nothing, and those moments are worth their weight in gold.
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