January is all about getting our lives organized, so why not organize your 2014 travel plans as well? Spontaneity is great, but when you want to travel over Spring Break, the middle of the summer or over the holidays, it makes a lot of sense to plan ahead.
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Here are a few reasons to plan (and book) your 2014 travel now:
- If you are using frequent flier miles, the best time to try to obtain award seats is six months prior to your travel date. Many airlines open their award seats a year in advance. For more on using your frequent flier miles check out my article from Destinations Travel Magazine.
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International flights are less expensive if booked further out – studies show that the lowest prices are approximately three months before the travel date.
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Popular spots over school holidays book up quickly. I usually reserve for Spring Break in the fall. I recently searched the Caribbean for Spring Break ideas for a client and was amazed by how many places were fully booked for March. (Having said that, if you haven’t booked Spring Break yet, let me know – I have found a few fantastic places, including villa rentals, that still have availability and are offering great deals!)
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Small boutique hotels book up very quickly – if your favorite hotel only has 13 rooms, don’t be disappointed to find out it is fully booked for your travel dates. Most have flexible cancellation policies, so reserve your room now. You can always change it if the rate drops or your plans change.
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Vacation home rentals usually book a year in advance. Don’t miss out on the perfect rental because you didn’t plan ahead. Look for a post later this week on finding a perfect vacation rental.
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You can always purchase travel insurance including “cancel for any reason” insurance in case your plans change.
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Don’t forget to check your passport expiration date. Many countries require that your passport be valid for six months beyond your date of travel. (My own passport expires this year so I need to take my own advice and renew NOW!).
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Likewise, plan now if you want to apply for ClearPass, TSAPreCheck or Global Entry (more on that in an upcoming post as well.)
Don’t miss out on your dream vacation this year? Plan it now!!
I must tell my husband to book NOW for Carmel, to go back to our honeymoon spot from 32 years ago! HI SANDY! Thank you so much for the tips! LOVE, Anita
All very good reasons! Sometimes we plan ahead – Bhutan was definitely one that required advance work – sometimes we fly by the seat of our pants, dependent on where/when our miles will take us. I have to say I prefer to plan. We haven't decided on our 2014 destination yet. Time to get on it! Thanks for the reminder.
Happy Monday! XOXO
Wonderful tips Sandy! We're planning already for our next winter break vacation, but I just have a quick question, is Clear Pass helpful? I saw it and wondered about it but never really knew anyone who has it. Enlighten us if you can. Thanks dear!
Sandy, these are great tips! I cannot wait to plan my next few trips!
I hope that you are warming up and have a fabulous week!
I love your tips and certainly need to travel somewhere I haven't been before…thanks for the great ideas!!
Great tips, Sandy. We always book our February break trips eight months in advance. Unfortunately, the High School and Middle School are not on the same schedule this year.
Excellent travel advice, Sandy!!! We use miles a lot for travel and my husband has made it a hobby to study what days they open the seats!
We also got our Global Entry this year, which as you know covers TSA recheck and it has made going through security and customs so much easier. To walk past the "long line" makes the time we took to get it SO worth it.
We'll be booking those hotels soon, I promise!
xoxo Elizabeth
Thanks for the reminder. I need to the Global entry asap!! I just added it to my to-do list. What a great list Sandy!
I fall into the procrastination trap way too often! Why do I always wait so long to book flights?!?! My husband spent a few years commuting between Chicago and Boston. Every single year we forgot about the Boston "School Vacation Week" in February and every singe year paid the price for our mistake! Thanks for the reminder – off to Kayak to check out some flights!