2025 Travel Booking Hacks

Hack #1: Travel on the cheapest dates to save as much as 14% on flights & 23% on hotel stays. 

For travelers flexible on when they fly, aiming for midweek departures for domestic flights is a simple way to save an average of $42 per ticket, or about 14%. Sunday will be the most expensive day of the week to fly and is typically a busy day in airports as travelers head home from weekends away. Travelers thinking about a weekend getaway can save significantly by departing mid week and returning on Saturday or Monday, instead of Sunday. 

For international travelers headed on longer haul trips, skip the Friday or Saturday departures to kick off your travel and instead aim for an early in the week start. Most  transatlantic and transpacific long haul international destinations are cheapest if travelers can depart on a Tuesday or Wednesday instead of on Friday or over the weekend.  Travel to the Caribbean and Mexico is cheapest if you depart early to midweek, Tuesday or Wednesday to save the most on airfare. 

For travelers booking accommodations, skipping the weekend stays can offer huge savings off pricey hotel rates. Travelers who check in on Friday or Saturday and stay through Sunday will pay a >20% premium, or about $50 more per night, over the cheapest day of the week to check in. Staying midweek, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, will get travelers the best prices on their accommodations. 

Weekend premiums can be even higher among top destinations in the US and abroad. If you’re headed to any of these top destinations, plan to start your stay midweek to avoid these high premiums on Friday and Saturday night stays!

Hack #2: Travel in the cheapest .onths to save 30-40% on airfare and more. 

• Travel in January/February instead of peak spring break months. Prices for travel in January and February are typically the lowest of the year, as Americans are coming off the expensive and travel laden holiday season and not yet booking trips for the new year. Airlines, hotels, and many experience providers will drop prices in January and February to incentivize travelers to take a trip. On average, travelers saved 32% or $100 per ticket off airfare when traveling in the first two months of the year instead of in March and April, peak spring break travel months. 

• Travel in September/October instead of peak summer months. June through August are some of the busiest months to travel domestically or abroad. With schools out for the summer and Americans taking advantage of vacation time, millions of travelers hit the skies and accommodations for longer vacations during the warmest months of the year. Prices peak with the heat in mid-summer and drop as early fall approaches. When this summer demand begins to die down, travel providers will drop prices once again to drum up additional demand as the “shoulder season” between summer and the holidays draws closer. Domestic travelers last year saved 40% or an average of $150 off airfare by shifting trips from peak summer months to September or October. 

Prices for accommodations, whether hotel or rental home, will follow a similar pattern to airfare. January and February will be the best months of the year for hotel getaways before warm weather destinations are overrun with spring breakers and summer hot spots become crowded through the fall. If you’re looking to get a luxury hotel experience on a budget, look for rates available now for February stays, or consider visiting in September or October when prices are likely to drop once again. 

Hack #3: Start monitoring prices early & book at the right time.

Flights

Start monitoring prices for domestic flights at least 3-4 months before you plan to depart. Prices will change frequently but drop on average until about 1-2 months before departure. Expect to book 1-2 months ahead of your departure date! Don’t wait too long to book, prices can increase by almost double in the last 3 weeks ahead of takeoff. 

International trips, especially those longer haul transatlantic or transpacific ones, will require planning further in advance. Start monitoring the price of your trip 7-8 months before departure. Expect to book trips to Asia and Oceania the furthest in advance, anywhere from 5-7 months before takeoff. Travelers headed to other regions of the world can expect to book anywhere from 3-6 months before departure to get the best prices. 

This is general guidance. We recommend using Hopper’s Flight Watch tool to monitor the price of any trips you’re dreaming of for 2024. We’ll monitor the price of your specific trip (destination, dates, even preferences around non-stop flights!) and let you know when prices are dropping to their lowest!

Hotels

If you’re headed to a leisure destination like Miami Beach or Cancun, expect to book your hotel at least 1-2 months before your desired check-in date. Oftentimes hotels in popular vacation destination cities will be booked up early, meaning last-minute rooms are harder to find and priced higher than usual. Expect to book all-inclusive resort stays at least 3+ months in advance, and expect to find the best prices for leisure destinations between 1-2 months before check in.

Hotels will often drop room rates in the last few days before check in, especially in larger cities where travelers have many options to stay at similar price points, and with similar amenities. If you can wait, book at the last minute to get the lowest prices on rooms in big cities. Prepare to be flexible on where you stay within a neighborhood and on the room type you book, as the best prices will be on the rooms left open 48 hours before check in. 

Hack #4: Book a Staycation!

Long weekends are often quiet in big cities, especially in the first two months of the year when travel is slow and weather is cold. Plan a staycation in a big city near you! You’ll get some of the best rates of the entire year and can even book at the last minute and get the best prices. Some properties will offer discounts to locals, special rates to encourage community members to stay and spend locally! Whether budget or luxury properties, expect great deals booking at the last minute over quiet weekends. Avoid long weekends like the days before Martin Luther King Jr Day and President’s Day, as cities are likely to attract more tourists over a long weekend (and over Valentine’s Day weekend!). 

Hack #5: Follow the Deal, not the Destination

Flexibility is the key to getting a great deal on a trip, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a multi-week bucket list vacation. Travelers who have flexibility on where they go can often find the best deals, packing on the savings while getting an amazing experience.  Consider swapping out your destination for a “destination dupe”- a different destination offering a similar experience for a much lower price. We’ve rounded up our favorite destination dupes for Spring Break getaways here! 

Puerto Rico - as low as $130 round-trip

Swap one of the more expensive Caribbean islands like Turks and Caicos for Puerto Rico. You can score deals for this winter and spring break as low as $130 round-trip from major U.S. Cities.

Dublin, Ireland - as low as $380 round-trip

March, especially before and after St. Patrick’s Day, tends to be quieter than peak summer months. This means fewer tourists, which is great for enjoying Ireland's stunning landscapes and historic sites without the crowds.

Cartagena, Colombia - as low as $300 round-trip

While Cartagena is a popular tourist destination year-round, early springtime can be a little less crowded compared to the peak months of December and January. This means you might get a slightly more relaxed experience in terms of both sightseeing and dining without the overwhelming crowds. Early springtime also falls towards the end of the dry season, so you’ll likely experience sunny, warm weather with little to no rain.

Marrakech, Morocco - as low as under $600 round-trip

If you’ve always wanted to explore Africa and are looking for somewhere exotic and adventure-filled, Marrakech is a perfect introduction. You can find great deals from the US and once you’re there, Morocco is relatively affordable compared to many other international destinations. Hotels, food, and activities tend to be much cheaper than in Europe. From here, you also can easily explore other parts of Morocco or even take a short flight to other African destinations like Egypt, Tunisia, or Senegal.

Hack #6: Plan Ahead for Travel Disruptions 

Whether caused by unexpected weather, technical challenges or something else, travel disruptions resulting from flight delays and cancellations can be frustrating, and expensive. The best way to reduce the impact of travel disruption on 2025 travel is to plan ahead for them: 

1. Add a Disruption Assistance to prepare for the unexpected: If you’re flying this year, we recommend adding services like Disruption Assistance, offered on Hopper and other travel providers. If your flight is delayed, canceled, or you miss a connection, you can immediately rebook on any flight, regardless of carrier. Skip the lines, forget the frustration, and head on your way. 

2. Book the first flight of the day. It pays to get up early to grab the first flight out! On average, flights departing after 9am were up to 2x more likely to be delayed than those 5am - 8am flights. Cancellations are also typically highest at the end of the day, with over 3% of flights canceled on average between 5pm and 10pm last year. 

3. Fly direct: You will usually pay a premium to fly direct, rather than with stops, but it may be worth the cost for travelers concerned about getting to their destination on time. Missed connections following flight delays or cancellations can make getting to your destination on time challenging during busy travel periods marred by bad weather or other disruptions. 

4. Build in a buffer day for events and holidays: Travel a day early to your special event, concert or holiday celebrations if possible, that way if you’re impacted by a delay or cancellation, you will have 24 hours to reschedule your travel and get onto your final destination. 

Holiday Weekend Booking Guide

We’ve rounded up some of the most popular travel weekends of the year to give you the ultimate guide of when to start planning and when to book your trips. Download the Hopper app and search for the trip you want to take for personalized recommendations on when to book at the right time! 

Table: Prices change often, and so might our advice on when to book. 

Check back throughout the year for updated guidance on pricing and the best times to book!