With kids out of school and several long holiday weekends—Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day—summer is a popular time for travel. In fact, nearly half of Americans typically plan for summer travel that requires an airline ticket or overnight lodging. However, the prime travel season can also mean more crowds and higher prices. That’s why it’s important to book your trip plans early. But, just how early is best? We chatted with Kentucky-based travel agent Katie Kubitskey to get the insider’s scoop on all things summer travel.
Katie Kubitskey is the owner and operator of My World Travel and is certified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for travel planning. Her company builds custom trips all around the world based on clients’ budgets and preferences. She has worked with thousands of vacationers who have visited more than 60 countries.
When to Book Airline Tickets for Summer Travel
For travelers flying to their destination, plane tickets are a top priority, and the prices can fluctuate greatly over time. Kubitskey has slightly different advice for the best time to book a summer flight, depending on whether you’re heading somewhere international or domestic.
International Travel
For international travel, snag your seat assignments at least six months in advance, though Kubitskey prefers to have 9 to 12 months to work on a trip to another country. “If you book closer to your travel date, you’re often stuck paying whatever prices the airline demands without having some wiggle room to watch for price fluctuations,” she said. “The sweet spot for finding competitive flight prices is usually around 8 to 9 months before—or last minute, but that’s stressful!”
Domestic Travel
If you’re traveling domestically, you can book flights around 3 to 4 months out. However, beginning your search 6 to 9 months before your trip will give you the best availability.
Flight Pricing Tricks
Once you start monitoring flight prices, there are some tricks to finding the best deals.
- Try Flexible Travel Dates: It’s helpful to have flexible travel dates. Leaving one day earlier or later than your preferred date could save you hundreds of dollars.
- Do Your Research: Kubitskey recommends subscribing to Going.com (formerly “Scott’s Cheap Flights”). This can be especially useful for travelers who like to fly out of smaller regional airports that are closer to where they live. To use the site, create an account and list your preferred airports. The site will then email you whenever there are cheap deals from those departure locations.
- Make the Most of Google Flights: Another tool is the “Explore” feature on Google Flights. “Input a general time range for when you’d like to travel,” said Kubitskey. “You can include a specific destination or choose the ‘anywhere’ option. It’s fun to scroll around the map to see all the different prices!”
When to Book Summer Travel Hotels and Campsites
Booking lodging in advance can also help you get the best deals and the greatest range of options. Kubitskey recommends starting to look at hotels around the same time you’re booking flights.
“For larger families traveling together, you definitely want to book as early as you can to ensure you find the correct number of rooms at the hotel of your choosing or the best variety of home rentals,” she said. “There are limited numbers of connecting rooms, accessible rooms, and other special accommodations, so you want to make sure everyone’s needs in the party can be met. The fewer people on the trip, the less considerations you have, so it gets more flexible if you’re a couple or solo traveler.”
If you’re planning a camping trip to a national park or state campground, these popular outdoor destinations can also book up quickly. Many start accepting reservations 3 to 6 months in advance, so check the individual park websites for more information.
Camp Margaritaville RV Resort Lodge Pigeon Forge
Other Summer Travel Reservations and Logistics to Remember
While reserving your plane ticket and hotel may feel like the most important part of summer travel planning, don’t forget the other details that will make your trip a success. After getting the big two booked, turn your attention toward:
- Car rentals: Booking your vacation ride in advance can help avoid the potential stress of rental companies running out of inventory for your dates. However, for the best deal, a NerdWallet analysis actually found that making your reservation about a week before your trip can get you the best deal. You can also look for deals through peer-to-peer car-sharing sites like Turo.
- Amusement parks: Generally, you should buy your theme park tickets as soon as you’ve solidified your travel dates. Popular destinations sometimes offer reservations up to a year in advance. Remember to check for discounts through memberships like AARP or AAA or for special groups like first responders, teachers, seniors, or veterans.
- Dinner reservations: If you plan to attend any fine dining restaurants or popular dinner experiences at your destination, check how early the businesses will let you make a booking, either online or by phone. This is especially important if you’re traveling with a larger party.
As you book your summer travel, Kubitskey says to remember that June and July can be particularly crowded months at popular destinations, given that most U.S. school systems are on break. If you have flexibility with your time off, you may want to travel a little earlier or later in the season for more breathing room.
Finally, keep in mind what the weather is going to be like at your destination. For example, a trip to Everglades National Park at the peak of summer could overlap with hurricane season or generally have higher biting insect activity and humid heat. While in some instances, this could mean lower travel rates, you’ll want to have a backup plan in case Mother Nature has another idea for your vacation. Kubitskey recommends considering travel insurance, which she said many trip planners are curious about but don’t understand its ins and outs.
Photo by Dan Dry / Courtesy of the Greater Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau
Where to Book Your Summer Travel This Year
Certain places seem to remain popular as bucket list travel destinations. For these summer getaways, like Disney theme parks, Kubitskey recommends booking as close to 9 to 12 months out as possible. Since demand is so high and onsite hotels are limited at the famous attractions, prices only get higher the closer you get to your travel date.
But where does Kubitskey recommend as the best destination in the South this summer? Her hometown, Louisville, Kentucky, of course. “It has so many amazing things going on in the culinary, bourbon, and arts scene,” she says. “Plus, there are so many music festivals!”
Ready to book your summer trip? Check out our guides to the best things to do in Louisville, the best restaurants in Louisville, and charming small towns near Louisville to explore. Or, for additional inspiration, take a peek at our list of under-the-radar Southern cities to visit this summer.
