One month out is the best time to book a hotel for a summer vacation in order to net maximum savings, according to TripAdvisor’s new Best Time to Book report. For the study, TripAdvisor analyzed historical hotel pricing data to identify the time periods offering the lowest rates on hotels for summer in popular destinations around the world. The "best time to book" is when hotel prices were consistently less than the destination average, TripAdvisor said.
The average rate for a U.S. hotel this summer is $236 per night, and travelers who book within a month of their trip can save as much as 15 percent compared to early year peak rates.
Boston, Chicago, Orlando, San Diego, Las Vegas, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. are among U.S. cities that see some of the most significant savings when booking within a month of a summer trip, up to 40 percent.
While early birds tend to do better when booking Europe, travelers thinking about visiting Paris and London in August can book within five weeks of their trip to save up to 25 percent.
10 U.S. Cities Where Booking Within One Month of Your Summer Trip Can Offer Savings
New York City
Max. potential savings vs. peak pricing: 40 percent
Average summer hotel pricing on TripAdvisor: $277 per night
Las Vegas
Max. potential savings vs. peak pricing: 40 percent
Average summer hotel pricing on TripAdvisor: $161 per night
Minneapolis
Max. potential savings vs. peak pricing: 37 percent
Average summer hotel pricing on TripAdvisor: $190 per night
Washington, D.C.
Max. potential savings vs. peak pricing: 34 percent
Average summer hotel pricing on TripAdvisor: $232 per night
Miami
Max. potential savings vs. peak pricing: 34 percent
Average summer hotel pricing on TripAdvisor: $153 per night
Philadelphia
Max. potential savings vs. peak pricing: 33 percent
Average summer hotel pricing on TripAdvisor: $202 per night
New Orleans
Max. potential savings vs. peak pricing: 32 percent
Average summer hotel pricing on TripAdvisor: $224 per night
Atlanta
Max. potential savings vs. peak pricing: 31 percent
Average summer hotel pricing on TripAdvisor: $184 per night
San Francisco
Max. potential savings vs. peak pricing: 31 percent
Average summer hotel pricing on TripAdvisor: $297 per night
Pittsburgh
Max. potential savings vs. peak pricing: 25 percent
Average summer hotel pricing on TripAdvisor: $190 per night
The Best Time to Book windows and hotel savings are compared to peak rates based on TripAdvisor pricing data from July 2016 through August 2017. Average summer hotel pricing is based on TripAdvisor pricing data from January 1 – April 15, 2018.
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