Living a normal life as a family is expensive enough, but family vacations can be cost prohibitive. But with the right planning, you can take the whole family to the best destinations without spending the rest of your summer paying off debt.
From a month-long train trip across Europe to an all-inclusive resort on a paradise island, our family of four managed to get the best deals on airfare and accommodations to experience it all.
Our secret? Timing: knowing when to book and the best times to visit, plus timing your credit card purchases to save even more. Read on to find out how we travel the world on a budget and how you can use our vacation planning timeline to plan your trip like one of ours.
When should you start planning your vacation?
For any major trips, it’s best to make arrangements about a year in advance. Short domestic trips can be planned as far as six months out, while trips to popular international destinations tend to get the best deals when planned a year in advance.
This is especially true if you are going on a cruise, going to a popular amusement park during your vacation, attending an international festival or celebration, visiting a national park during peak season, etc. Also, destination weddings may require bookings up to 18 months or more in advance.
When should I travel or plan a vacation?
Planning a trip involves doing lots of research on a destination. I try to figure out when the peak tourist season is for the area and schedule my visit for a month before or after. In the travel industry, this is usually called the “shoulder season.”
Why focus on shoulders?
Not only will you avoid the crowds and seasonal price hikes, but you’ll also save on airfares and hotel rates. But be sure to keep other factors in mind when planning your trip, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the destination. A vacation isn’t nearly as worthwhile if bad weather traps you in your hotel or holiday closures ruin your plans.
A timeline for booking the best travel deals
This is the timeline I follow to find and book the best deals on travel for our family of 4. This advice may vary depending on your destination.
12 months before travel
About a year before you plan your vacation, scout out the location to determine the best season to visit, calculate the costs, and create a budget. Maybe even set aside a certain amount each month to cover the costs of your trip.
If you’re hoping for a particular themed accommodation or special experience like a safari or cruise, consider booking now – depending on the cancellation policy, you may be able to move if your plans change.
Want to save more by taking advantage of credit card rewards? From time to time, switch your regular credit card to one with travel rewards and start earning points a year or more in advance. This way, you can earn travel rewards on your family’s regular living expenses.
9 months before travel
If you’re going internationally, take out your passport and check the expiration date. Children’s passports expire sooner than adult passports, so planning for a passport delay was a very smart financial move for our family.
Rush passport applications can be costly, especially if you have to visit a passport center that handles emergency travel applications. For more information about passport eligibility and renewal timelines, visit 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 typically cost 3% of transactions in foreign currencies and can add up quickly.
If you want to get through airport lines faster with TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, you’ll also need to start gathering the necessary documents. TSA PreCheck recommends applying at least 60 days before your planned travel date, while Global Entry can take longer, up to six months. Some of the best travel credit cards even include a credit for the application fees for these programs.
6 months before travel
Now is the best time to book hotels and other accommodations, especially for international destinations and large groups. Booking during this period generally offers the best balance of room availability and price.
If you’re traveling internationally or over the holidays, now is also the time to think about securing your airfare: the best spot between the cheapest fares and flights with three connections can usually be found four to six months before peak travel dates.
Even when traveling domestically, set up flight alerts so you can keep an eye on airfare patterns. Generally, flights are cheaper if you fly on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays.
4 months before your trip
Have you checked out the best domestic flight deals yet? Set a strict deadline to buy your tickets and mark it on your calendar so you don’t forget. Also, if you’re leaving your pets behind during your trip, now is the time to book pet accommodation because our preferred pet hotels fill up fast.
This is also the best time to secure a special place to stay, like a luxury Airbnb or other short-term rental: three months out and your options are significantly fewer, and any delays could mean you’re forced to stay further away from your destination than you’d like.
3 months before your trip
This is the last chance to reserve a seat on a domestic flight. After this point, you’ll likely pay a premium to secure your seat. If you’ve been waiting to save up credit card points, don’t put it off any longer. Popular flights start filling up 6-8 weeks before your travel date. Your best chance of securing a seat is to book economy class.
Three months before the trip, we flesh out our itinerary with input from everyone in the family, including activities, museums, sightseeing, restaurants, and any specific day trips we want to take.
Popular restaurants fill up quickly, so make your reservation now if you want to secure a coveted table at a popular local eatery.
If you don’t have enough credit card points to cover the cost of your flight, now is a good time to consider exchanging your points for gift cards. While the exchange rate may be lower than if you were to use points to book a flight, gift cards for restaurants and activities can help you save money on your travel expenses.
2 months before your trip
You’ve booked your flights and accommodations. What’s left? Start looking for deals on activities, starting with a CityPass that may give you discounts on multiple items on your bucket list.
These passes are a real bargain, but read the fine print carefully. We’ve saved hundreds of dollars on visits to amusement parks, aquariums, museums, and more by carefully planning our trips to maximize discounts.
6 weeks before travel
Are you planning to rent a car? This is always a careful calculation between how walkable your destination is, public transportation, and our ambitious itinerary. But if you intend to buy a car while on vacation, now is the time to start shopping.
While I understand the desire to get a standard vehicle for the lowest price, I always consider whether I need a vehicle that can handle difficult terrain or a luxury vehicle for long day trips. On a recent trip to rural Vermont during mud season, I wished I had upgraded to four-wheel drive.
You can avoid being upsold on auto insurance at the rental counter by booking your rental car with a credit card that includes coverage for damage and theft. Coverage comes in two forms: secondary and primary. Personal insurance is still necessary with secondary coverage, because it is paid out first, if needed. Primary coverage is rare and coveted, because it is paid out before personal insurance.
One month before the trip
Check your health records and stop by your local clinic or pharmacy to get any necessary vaccinations. One of the most costly mistakes we make while on vacation is getting sick and spending our time exploring the four walls of our hotel or Airbnb room.
If I’m buying big ticket items like hiking boots, electronics for the plane, or a swimsuit, I usually buy them now because I have plenty of time to return them or have them resized if necessary before I leave.
When buying essentials, don’t forget to check out offers from your credit card company. Getting a few dollars back as a statement credit for a purchase you had already planned can give your budget a little more breathing room.
1-2 weeks before your trip
Since most of the major parts of the trip are already planned and paid for, I usually only focus on creating a packing list, doing laundry, and securing the house a week or two before I leave.
However, it’s always wise to check one last time and make sure what you’ve booked – you might find that you’ve booked an activity or meal for the wrong day, and while you might not be able to reschedule if you give a week or two notice, you can usually cancel without penalty.
If you’re staying in an Airbnb or hotel with a kitchen to save money on eating out, prepare your menu and shopping list in advance so you don’t end up feeling hungry and overwhelmed as you walk to the grocery store the minute you get off the plane.
A few days ago…
With careful planning, you’ll find that when you arrive, you’re ready to relax without the fear of missing out on something or having a bill hanging over your head.
But if your vacation is simply about soaking up the sun and enjoying solitude, you might want to leave most of your vacation to chance and fortunate circumstances.
As I discovered during a recent trip to Maui when I tried to avoid cramming every free moment into a schedule, some of the best vacations come when you least expect them, and those moments are worth their weight in gold.
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