Why People Are Booking Travel Plans Last Minute More Often And The Best Strategies For Success

It seems like more and more travelers are putting off their bookings for as long as possible — but why? To find out more about this trend and whether it's a good idea or not, Islands spoke exclusively to Victoria Fricke, travel agent and owner of luxury travel agency Vic's Vacations, which specializes in creating personalized travel itineraries. Fricke confirmed that more people seem to be booking their travel plans late, but it's not because they think they'll get a better deal. "From what I gather, the socio-economic uncertainty that some clients may be feeling, tariff concerns, travel bans, and the climate of our society as a whole right now all seem to be contributing factors," Fricke explained. "If you're not sure what the next year looks like financially for your family, it's easy to see how a luxury vacation becomes a last-minute decision."

However, according to the expert, booking closer to your travel date isn't ideal. Not only is it more likely that the flights, hotels, and activities you're trying to book will be taken, they can be pricier, too. While the price of individual rooms may not go up the way flights do, you may not be able to book rooms in your budget anymore. Often, as Fricke shared, you might have to pay for a higher room category than you normally would have preferred. "Depending on the hotel chosen, that can easily cost you $300 to $1000 more."

However, if you don't have a choice, that doesn't mean that your trip is doomed. Fricke let us in on a few strategies for making the best of booking last-minute travel plans. While you might have to be more flexible, you can still have a great trip.

According to travel expert Victoria Fricke, availability is one of the most significant challenges those trying to book last-minute trips will face. If you have the opportunity to go on a trip right away but have some flexibility in terms of where you actually go, you might still be able to lock in a trip that you will really love without breaking the bank. Some destinations have a lot more options to begin with, which means a higher chance of securing desirable accommodations for those having to choose from whatever is left over.

According to Fricke, you should skip destinations in Europe, because many popular European destinations have a limited number of hotel rooms near popular attractions, and they will likely have all been bought out already. Instead, Fricke recommends having a unique Caribbean getaway or a relaxing trip to Mexico. She explained that there are usually a lot more hotel options in these destinations — and there are often still seats available on flights, even if they're pricier (and, fortunately, there are ways to find cheap last-minute flights if you need to).

If you finally have the opportunity to book yourself a trip, it can be tempting to fly out immediately, but there are definite downsides. A major issue is that airlines tend to have higher prices closer to the day of the flight. While that might not necessarily be a dealbreaker — especially if the trip is important to you and this is the best possible time to make it happen — it's still wise to have some idea of how much extra you'll be spending on your flights so that you can make an informed decision. Victoria Fricke advised travelers, "Decide if the increase in cost is worth it to book so close to travel. Determine whether the time you're hoping to travel truly is the best time."

Airfare can vary greatly depending on your destination, what season and day of the week you're flying, and even what time you plan to leave. While it can be hard to figure out exactly what any particular flight is worth (since it's worth whatever people are willing to pay for it), Fricke has a helpful strategy: Compare the price of your flight to another similar one in the future, making sure to account for holidays and weekends. Then, it's time to seriously think about whether the last-minute flight is worth the extra expense.

Victoria Fricke might run a luxury travel agency, but she stated that one of the main concerns her clients have is financial uncertainty, leading them to book closer to the actual dates of the trip. However, if you have the money to travel now but aren't sure that you'll be able to swing it later, Fricke has some solutions. One option is to book the trip immediately, pay for it now, and travel in the future. Fricke recommends booking five to 10 months in advance to save the most money. With that said, you don't have to pay for the whole trip in advance if your budget's tight.

If you can't afford to pay for an entire trip at once (which makes sense, considering flights keep getting more and more expensive), Fricke suggests considering a payment plan that will allow you to pay off the trip in chunks starting now, rather than covering the entire cost immediately. She suggested that travelers think about their financial situation and consider: "If you could book farther out and make payments along the way on a cheaper vacation further out, would that make more sense?"

In an uncertain world, the prospect of planning something months in advance can seem like a bad idea. While you might be able to take time off work and pay for a trip right now, are you confident that you will be able to when the date of your trip rolls around? For some, including clients of Vic's Vacations, this uncertainty leads them to consider booking last-minute trips. However, Victoria Fricke has an alternative suggestion: Book hotels and flights that offer flexible dates or will refund you if you realize that you can't make your trip happen after all.

Different airlines have different policies for canceling your trip, and the same goes for cruises and hotels. It might be worth doing some digging in advance before resorting to just winging it and taking a spontaneous trip. Fricke urged travelers thinking about booking last-minute trips: "When deciding to travel last minute, really ask yourself if you'd make that same choice to pay a premium on travel if you could book further out in a refundable or less locked-in manner. There are many trips that can be booked with low deposits that are fully refundable or the amount paid can be moved to a future trip date."