Why Booking Early is Beneficial

I’m sure booking early is not feasible for many because of work schedules or other reasons but booking 6 mo to a year in advance is beneficial because many times hotel may become booked or flight awards may not be available or hotels and airlines may devalue their miles and points or charging fuel charges on flights not previously charged.

Some examples of my vacations where booking early was beneficial:

This Labor Day weekend I am going to Miami and staying at the Hilton Bentley. When I booked the hotel using points, it only cost 50k per night, however, with the Hilton devaluation, it now costs 60k a night which equals 30k more for the whole weekend. Booking these at the beginning of the year was definitely beneficial in saving points here.

For Oktoberfest in Munich Germany, I am planning on staying at the Holiday Inn Munich City Center. Well now you can’t book reward nights on that Saturday opening weekend and the cost in points is 35k instead of 25k like it used to be prior to the devaluation. Another reason booking very early in the year was beneficial

For New Years, I am staying at the Venetian using IHG point (formally Priority Club), however, you can’t book here with points or hotel certificates because of no award availability for NYE. I booked these back in April so another reason why booking early was beneficial.

I see a pattern here with devaluations and I know there is more to come.

For future plans, I had wanted to go to Australia on Delta and fly business class but there was a slight devaluation on that. I hope that there are few changes in the upcoming future because I rely on low cost award redemption for travel. I mean why else are we collecting these miles and points!?!