Do you want to go on a big summer vacation this year? Have your kids been begging for that trip to Disneyland? Looking to get out of Idaho and hit up some warm beaches or get away from civilization for a while? 

If you’re looking to do a big summer vacation, you should start planning now. Not only will this ease some of the stress of planning a vacation, but this also leads to lower prices overall.
 

Cheaper Flights and Hotels

As demand goes up for flights and hotels, so does the price. As more people decide they want to take the same flight as you, or stay at the same hotel, prices start to steadily increase, as well as you lose availability.

The general rule for booking flights is 64 days before your trip to get the best deals. That is a little over two months. If you are looking to go on vacation in June, that means you should be buying tickets in April at the latest.

As for hotels, to get the best deals, book the hotel a day or two before you stay, but this is risky, especially during vacation season. The hotels are willing to drop prices to try and fill their rooms and make some money, rather than having empty rooms. If you want to stay at a nice hotel or resort with extra features, booking earlier can save you some headaches and money. If you’re looking for the best days to save money, avoid staying in a hotel on Fridays and Saturdays, as prices typically surge those days.

Now, if you are instead staying in a vacation home or AirBnB, about two to three months is the best. Prices are lower because demand is currently low. Plus, vacation homes get booked quickly during summer, so being ahead of the curve means getting a place you’ll like.
 

Book the Best Activities

Especially in busy vacation spots, many activities fill up quickly. Maybe you’re going to Vegas and want to see a show, or go whale watching, or get a massage at a spa and relax. Many highly demanded activities are sold out if you try to book them while on vacation or right before you leave.

Along with reserving your vacation activities early, you could also potentially save some money. You have time to hunt for deals, coupons, or discount group rates. Rather than feeling pressured to buy at the door or the day of, you can take some time to look around and find a deal that works for you.
 

Easier to Coordinate

Especially if you are going on vacation with a group of people, planning can be a nightmare. Between everyone getting time off from work, booking everything, and if you don’t want children coming along, trying to find babysitters and coordinating everything can be tricky. 

The earlier you can set everything in stone, the easier it will be to book everything. People can tackle whatever scheduling issues they have and you can go on your trip with hopefully no issues. 
 

Using Credit Card Points

With some planning and effort, it’s possible to pay for major parts of your vacation using points from a credit card. Airfare, hotels, theme parks, and restaurants could all be covered if you use earn and redeem credit card points. 

Nearly every part of your vacation probably has a credit card connected to it. For example, you can get a credit card through the hotel you want to stay in, use it, and then rack up points to redeem for your stay. Similarly, many credit cards offer points for flights. If there is a major expense in your trip, you can probably find a credit card you could use to pay for it.

Don’t open too many credit cards or put yourself into debt for this vacation though. If you start early enough, you can open the cards and just use them for your normal expenses to earn your points. With planning early, you can also avoid any “blackout” dates some flight or hotel programs have. 

If you want a credit card for points you can use for flights, hotels, gift cards, or more, Pioneer’s credit card is perfect for you! For every $1 spent, you earn one Rewards! point. These can be redeemed for flights, hotels, theme park passes, gift cards and more.

Check out VISA Rewards!