Piecing together articles from both Forbes and USA Today, we at YourEmployment have uncovered the best times of the year you should be using up vacation days, and the worst. There aren’t many things more disappointing than grinding it out all year only to find out your precious and hard-earned block of days off are used at the worst time possible.
Worst
Unless you really want to get away on these days or are visiting family, it’s a good idea to just cross them off your calendar in favor of other ones.
Christmas: This is one of the busiest travel days of the year, along with the next one listed below. For many Americans, it’s cold, snowy, requires bulky coats and changes of clothes, and a lot of patience to get through security at the airport. New Year’s: Traveling around on the last day of the year is never as glamorous as it appears in the movies, with you and everyone else cramped together in terminals and stations. Unless you’ve got a private jet in a small airport, skip this day. High Season: There’s not any particular day or time of year that high season is because it varies from country to country, but it typically occurs when school’s out (summer) or when a country experiences warmer, dryer weather. Airfare and accommodations are at their peak for the year during high season, and every inch of space becomes a lot more crowded.
Cheapest
If getting away is your primary concern and you don’t care where, as long as you don’t spend an arm and a leg, then consider booking off on these dates.
Three Weeks After Thanksgiving: The food holiday of the year also means airlines go a little hog wild in setting prices, but if you give them a few weeks’ breathing space, your wallet will thank you. Late Winter: If it’s a holiday in Aspen or Tokyo you’re after, book in late January to early February to find the best deals. Because the cold temperatures scare off a lot of visitors, you’ll be able to find better deals than during the holiday season. Fall: This tip mainly applies to the tourist part of Europe, such as London, Paris, or other popular cities. School is in session and the sky is noticeably grayer, which all translates to extra sidewalk space and more savings.
Best
What’s known as “shoulder season” is when travelers get the best compromise on great deals and sights to see. It’s the time of year that falls in between high and off seasons, and Forbes writes that it can occur more than once in a particular city. The example they use is spring and early fall in Europe, while USA Today notes that fall before Thanksgiving is good for Hawaii (or December to April if your intent is just to get away and you’re not worried about seeing a lineup of festivals and events).
When you’re planning your next vacation, keep these tips in mind to get the best time off possible. But whenever you decide to go, remember that the earlier you book, the best chance you have of getting good prices.
Visit the following sites for more information:
CNN
Forbes
USA Today: Caribbean
USA Today: Hawaii