When Is The Best Time To Book A Holiday?

One of the most common questions I’m asked is whether it is better to book a holiday early or wait for a last-minute deal.

The honest answer is that the best time to book depends on what matters most to you: choice, price, flexibility, school holiday dates, room type, flight times or destination. The cheapest option is not always the best value, especially if waiting means compromising on the holiday you actually wanted.

In travel, you may also hear the term peak season. This can mean two things. It often refers to the busiest times to travel, such as school holidays, Christmas, Easter and the main summer months. Travel agents also use peaks to describe the busiest holiday booking period, usually when many people start planning their year ahead.

Understanding both can make a real difference to how confidently you book.

Why Booking Early Often Gives You The Best Choice

A common misconception is that booking early means paying more. In reality, booking early often gives you access to the widest choice of hotels, room types, flights and departure dates.

This is particularly important if you are travelling during school holidays, need a family room, want a specific resort, or prefer convenient flight times from your local airport.

Popular destinations and hotels can sell early, and ABTA also advises booking early to avoid disappointment where demand is high.

For families, this matters because the best-value options are often the first to go. A cheaper holiday later on may still exist, but it might involve less convenient flights, a weaker hotel choice, or a room configuration that does not suit you as well.

Advisor insight: Early booking is not just about price. It is about protecting the holiday experience you actually want.

What Travel Agents Mean By “Peaks”

In the travel industry, peaks usually refers to the busiest booking period of the year.

This is traditionally around late December, January and into February, when many people start planning holidays for the year ahead. ABTA’s 2025/2026 campaign described the period from 26 December 2025 to early February 2026 as the “peak booking season”, encouraging travellers to book with confidence through an ABTA member.

This is when many tour operators release strong offers, low deposits, added-value deals and early booking incentives. It is also when demand can be high, especially for summer holidays, long-haul escapes, cruises and family trips.

The important thing to understand is that peaks is not always about finding the cheapest possible holiday. It is often about finding the strongest combination of price, choice, availability and protection.

When Last-Minute Deals Can Work Well

Last-minute holidays can still be excellent value, but they work best when you are flexible.

If you can travel outside school holidays, consider several destinations, accept different airports, and are open-minded about hotel choice, late availability can be worth exploring.

ABTA’s last-minute getaway advice highlights flexibility, openness to new destinations and booking with a travel agent or tour operator as key ways to find the best available late break.

Where last-minute deals become more difficult is when the brief is specific. For example, if you want a particular Greek island, a direct flight from a preferred airport, a family suite, a beachfront hotel and Saturday departures in August, waiting may reduce your options rather than improve them.

Real-world example: A couple looking for a flexible September sunshine break may do well last minute. A family needing two interconnecting rooms in the school holidays is usually better booking much earlier.

School Holidays Need A Different Strategy

School holidays are one of the clearest examples of why timing matters.

Demand increases, availability tightens, and the best flight times, family rooms and popular hotels often sell first. This applies not only to the main summer holidays, but also February half term, Easter, May half term, October half term and Christmas.

For school holiday travel, my usual recommendation is to start planning as early as possible, particularly for:

• family-friendly all-inclusive resorts
• villas and larger accommodation
• cruises with family cabins
• long-haul holidays
• Disney, Florida and theme park trips
• Christmas and New Year escapes

This does not mean you always need to book the first option you see. It means giving yourself enough time to compare properly, understand the value, and make a confident decision before the best options disappear.

Cruises Are Often Better Booked Early

Cruise holidays are slightly different from standard beach holidays because cabin choice can have a big impact on the experience.

Booking early usually gives you a better choice of cabin location, dining preference, itinerary, departure date and promotional offer. This is especially important if you want a balcony cabin, a suite, connecting cabins, a particular deck, or a cruise during school holidays.

Last-minute cruise deals can exist, but they are usually better suited to travellers who are flexible on ship, itinerary and cabin location.

Advisor insight: With cruises, the best value is not always the lowest fare. The right cabin, itinerary and overall package can make a significant difference to the holiday.

Long-Haul Holidays Reward Early Planning

Long-haul holidays often benefit from earlier planning because there are more moving parts.

Flights, stopovers, hotel availability, transfers, excursions, room types and travel dates all need to work together. This is particularly true for destinations such as the Caribbean, Dubai, Asia, the Maldives, USA, Canada and multi-centre itineraries.

Booking early can also give you more time to spread payments, check passport validity, arrange travel insurance, plan excursions and make sure the overall itinerary feels balanced.

For more complex holidays, leaving it late can mean paying more for flights or compromising on the hotel, route or experience.

Is January Always The Best Time To Book?

January is a major booking period, but it is not the only good time to book.

The best time depends on what you are booking and when you want to travel. January can be excellent for summer holidays, cruises, long-haul plans and family travel because there is strong demand and often a wide range of offers.

However, there are also good opportunities throughout the year, especially when new cruise itineraries launch, airline routes are released, hotels introduce added-value offers, or tour operators run seasonal campaigns.

The key is not simply booking in January. The key is knowing when the right holiday at the right value appears.

Do Package Holidays Offer Better Value?

Package holidays can offer strong value because flights, accommodation and sometimes transfers are combined together. ABTA notes that packages can often be cheaper than booking elements separately because travel companies may access discounts and exclusive package deals.

They can also offer reassurance. For UK travellers, ATOL protection applies to package trips that include a flight, although it is important to understand that ATOL is financial protection, not travel insurance.

This is where expert advice can be particularly useful. A cheaper “DIY” option online may not always offer the same protection, support or convenience as a properly packaged holiday.

My Advice

For most clients, I recommend thinking about holiday timing in three simple ways.

If you have fixed dates, specific requirements or are travelling in school holidays, book early. You will usually have better choice and less pressure.

If you are flexible, open-minded and travelling outside peak travel periods, last-minute options can be worth exploring.

If the holiday is complex, high-value or important to get right, speak to a travel advisor before you spend hours comparing options online.

The best time to book is not just about finding the lowest price. It is about securing the right holiday, at the right value, with the right support behind it.

A good holiday should feel exciting from the moment you book it, not stressful because you are second-guessing whether you waited too long.

Final Thought

There is no single perfect booking window for every holiday, but there is usually a right strategy for the type of trip you want.

Early booking protects choice. Last-minute booking rewards flexibility. Expert advice helps you understand which approach gives you the best outcome for your own holiday.

With one conversation, personal recommendations and support from enquiry to return, planning your next holiday does not need to feel like a second job.