The cheapest time to travel is usually the off-season. When fewer people are going to your destination, there are more vacant rooms, empty restaurants and shops hungry for business. Merchants drop prices to entice business. The off-season varies depending on your destination, however. There are also types of travel that are cheapest when booked early or late. For these, the time of the actual travel is not as important.
Generally, you can travel most cheaply to sunny spots when it is hot. Most travelers head to Hawaii or Mexico in the winter, when it is cold and snowy at home. During the summer, most of these travelers head to places that are too cold to visit during the winter. Summertime in sunny spots can be uncomfortably warm: 80-degree temperatures may feel great in the middle of winter, but 90- or 100-degree temperatures can be a bit stifling anytime. Still, if you want to avoid the crowds and save some money, head to a sunny spot during the summer.
Visiting the Caribbean is cheapest between June and November. This is also hurricane season. The weather in the Caribbean can be wonderful during this time, but it can also be deadly. If you are willing to take your chances, you can lock in some cheap prices. If a hurricane does hit, it could ruin your trip, though. Buy vacation insurance if you are traveling to the Caribbean during hurricane season. Some hotels also offer hurricane guarantees and won't charge you if they close.
Cruises to Alaska sail only during the summer, while cruises to Antarctica sail only during the winter in the Northern Hemisphere, which is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. There is a very narrow window of time when the water is navigable, and cruise lines try to get as many sailings as possible into this time. There are always a few sailings at the beginning and end of the season that are cheaper. The weather is a little colder, but you can save quite a bit. Ski vacations are also less expensive early and late in the season when resorts must make their own snow to cover the bare spots.
National parks, amusement parks and Europe all have high seasons in the summer and during holidays. The absolute cheapest time to travel to these places is between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Most people use their vacation time for the holidays or for another time of year. The month between the two biggest holidays is always a slow time for big tourist attractions. This is also true for Las Vegas. It is busy most of the year because of a thriving convention industry. Few conventions are scheduled between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Sometimes when you book your travel is more important than when you actually travel. Resorts, airlines and cruise ships offer generous discounts if you book your vacation very early or at the last minute. Traveling this way allows you to go on the vacation of your dreams at a discount rate. However, there are risks. Your plans could change in the months after you book early, and changes could be impossible or costly. Waiting until the last minute means taking whatever is available. Often this isn't much.
