Best times to book hotels or flights

If you are looking for the best deal, there's a best time to buy everything. For instance, you'll usually get the lowest price on a home In December, when no one is thinking about house shopping.

It also turns out theres a best time to buy airline tickets and hotel rooms.

Best time for airline tickets

Plan to book a vacation soon? When you book has a lot to do with how much you'll pay, according to a report in the travel website Away.com.

The report says the best time to buy a plane ticket is Tuesday between 3 and 6 p.m. Why?  Because that's when the most seats at the lowest prices are on sale.

Also, it says 21 days before a flight is the ideal day to purchase, because that's when airlines lower fares on flights with too many empty seats.  The 21 day to 14 day in advance period tends to be a "low price window".

Just remember that prices tend to go up in the final 14 days before a flight.

When to book a hotel

But from the "doesn't that stink" file, the fact that the best time to book a hotel room is the day before you plan to travel, according to the report. For traveling families, that's almost impossible, which leaves me saying "doesn't that stink?"

But, if you can afford to wait, Away.com says hotels slash rates on unsold rooms 24 hours in advance.

For the best deals, you may want to call the hotel directly, not the 800 number.
    
Forget about last-minute deals during peak travel weeks, when hotels may be close to sold out. Bottom line: If it's a popular time, like school spring break weeks, don't wait.  You won't find a cheap seat or hotel room if they are already full.

And that way you don't waste your money.

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