When Should You Book a Holiday?

The best time to book a holiday depends on where you’re going, when you want to travel and how flexible you can be.

If you need school-holiday dates or a particular hotel, starting early gives you more options. If your dates and destination are flexible, a last-minute deal may offer good value.

There’s no booking window that guarantees the lowest price, but here’s how I approach it.

Book Early for Peak Travel Periods

For school holidays, Christmas, New Year and other high-demand periods, I recommend starting your search early.

Booking ahead doesn’t guarantee the cheapest price, but it gives you more opportunity to find the hotel, room type, flight times and departure airport you want before availability narrows.

This matters particularly for families needing specific dates, larger rooms or several rooms together.

Upcoming periods to explore include:

• Christmas 2026 holiday deals

• New Year 2027 holiday deals

• Easter 2027 holiday deals

• Summer 2027 holiday deals

Check your school’s actual term dates before booking, as holidays vary by area.

Start Researching Long-Haul Holidays Several Months Ahead

For destinations such as Thailand, Bali, Dubai, Mexico, the USA and the Caribbean, I prefer to research several months ahead.

These trips can involve more decisions, including transfers, internal flights or stays in different locations. Starting early gives you time to compare the overall cost and build an itinerary that works.

Researching early doesn’t mean booking immediately. Watch prices, compare accommodation and get a feel for what represents good value for your dates.

When Are Last-Minute Holidays Worth Considering?

Last-minute deals are best suited to travellers who can be flexible about:

• Their destination.

• Departure and return dates.

• The airport they use.

• The hotel and room type.

• How much notice they need before travelling.

The more specific your requirements, the riskier it becomes to wait. A deal is less useful if it means accepting inconvenient flights or accommodation you don’t really want.

For a flexible off-peak break, waiting may be worthwhile. For a particular hotel during school holidays, I wouldn’t rely on a last-minute bargain appearing.

Is There a Best Day to Book a Holiday?

There’s no guaranteed cheapest day of the week to book. Prices respond to demand, availability and promotions, rather than following a dependable weekly schedule.

Changing your travel dates can be more useful than waiting until a particular day to pay. Compare departures a day or two either side, different trip lengths and nearby airports.

For flights booked separately, price alerts can help you monitor changes without repeating the same search every day. 

Compare the Full Holiday Cost

Check a few relevant providers before committing:

• Skyscanner for flight comparisons.

• Expedia.

• Trip.com.

• On the Beach.

• Jet2holidays.

• HolidayPirates.

Compare like for like: the same dates, number of travellers, room type and board basis.

Look beyond the headline price and check baggage, transfers, airport travel costs and any charges payable locally. Read the cancellation and amendment terms too, particularly if your plans could change.

Don’t Wait Forever for the Price to Drop

A holiday you like might become cheaper, but it could also increase in price or sell out.

Once you’ve compared suitable options, ask yourself:

• Does it fit my total budget?

• Are the dates and flights convenient?

• Is the accommodation somewhere I want to stay?

• Am I comfortable with the booking terms?

If the answer is yes, that may be the right time to book. Trying to predict the absolute lowest price can mean losing an option that already suited you.

Final Thoughts

The less flexible your plans, the earlier I would start looking. Flexible travellers have more freedom to consider last-minute offers.

Compare the full cost and book when you find a holiday that suits your budget and plans. You don’t need to catch the lowest price ever for it to be a good booking.