Get Your Vacation Booked

After being stuck at home for so long due to the pandemic, traveling sounds especially appealing. While counting down the days may feel difficult, booking a vacation for later on can give you something to look forward to. Consider these tips for planning a future trip — even if you’re not certain exactly when you’ll take it yet.

Research travel restrictions

It’s important to make sure you’re up to date on any restrictions your potential destinations may have in place. Though vaccines are helping to lessen restrictions in some places, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintain updated guidance and travel warnings based on the risk level of certain areas. Checking these can help you make decisions. Once you’ve booked plans, it is prudent to check in frequently as your trip approaches and to also have a backup plan.

Anticipate high demand

Many hotels, vacation rentals and resorts may already be booked in popular locations due to optimism around vaccines, increased demand for domestic travel and families planning multiple trips. To better your odds of securing your travel dates, accommodations and activities, booking earlier than you normally would can help offset increased demand. In fact, travel operators report that people already have been booking private vacation home rentals at summer destinations earlier than usual in 2021.

Opt for flexible booking

If you’re eager to plan a vacation right away, be sure to review and understand cancellation policies for your preferred accommodations, airline and activities. Many have changed their policies due to the pandemic, so it’s important to know how long you have to cancel or change dates without incurring additional fees or penalties. You can also select free cancellations for lodging at many sites. For example, vrbo.com has a “free cancellation” filter.

Deals with longer stays

Many travel sectors offer special deals for reserving trips in advance. Some of the best deals can be found by bundling airfare and lodging or booking extended week- or month-long stays. These longer vacations can lead to fewer available dates to choose from, but some travel companies offer search filters that help travelers find discounts for staying longer periods.