There are several factors that are happening in 2017 to make this one of the busiest summers ever for vacation travelers: tough fare competition between airlines, low fuel prices, and an overall improving economy. It’s time to book summer travel!
That’s why you need to book summer travel now.
But don’t make the mistake of waiting too long before you firm up your plans. As soon as you’ve selected a destination and the approximate dates (having flexibility in your days of travel can work to your advantage remember), get on your laptop and start investigating all the options for each of the elements of your summer trip.
Any delay in planning and booking travel could mean settling for a connecting flight instead of a non-stop flight, a room facing the parking lot instead of the ocean, and a rental car that’s bigger, smaller or not the style that you really need. So we can’t express more the importance of Decide –> Book —> Travel. This should always be the method you use when you book summer travel because it’s often one of the hottest times of the year to get out and explore the world.
Travelers also need to keep in mind, that prices for the various elements of your vacation are likely to increase the longer you wait. This can include airfares, hotel room rates, luau spots, scuba excursions and rental car prices that are not fixed. This is because they change every day based on fluctuations in supply and demand. So if you wait too long you might not only miss out on that dream scuba trip or end up paying way more than you should have for it.
So as more air seats, rooms and cars are booked up for the summer, the cost of the remaining ones tends to go up rather quickly. Also, if it’s suddenly a hot destination, costs for travel to that area may quickly change even overnight!
When is the peak time to travel this summer?
The peak time for summer vacations is July through mid-August, so if you can you might save some money and find greater availability if you schedule your trip before or after those dates – before June 15, say, or after August 15. This can be tricky if you have kids (school schedules vary) but smart planning will always win in this situation.
You’ll also want to look at exactly what you want to accomplish with your trip. If you want to see Disney World, summer is not the time to do it. However, if you are looking for a great out of the box trip like Greenland, summer might be the time to do it. Tropical destinations are always going to be heavily booked during the summer but making a point to book luxury travel may save you the headaches of long lines, crowded beaches and score you priority services and add-ons like meals, excursions, and other perks.
So the only question now is…where do you want to go! What are your summer travel plans?
