It will come as no surprise that 72% of Aussies are prioritising discounts and sales when planning their travel, according to Expedia research. But with accommodation being one of the more hefty holiday expenses, is there a way to save on that aspect of your upcoming trip?
Are there sneaky tricks in the system that we’re missing out on? Insider secrets? Or do accommodation prices generally stay the same no matter when we lock it in?
PEDESTRIAN.TV rallied the data and spoke to Australia’s top accommodation platforms to find out. Let’s dive in.
Booking WELL in advance
When it comes to in-demand locations and times in particular, booking in advance can also save you money due to lower demand further from the booking date. So when’s good? A month out? A year out?
Booking.com’s regional manager of Oceania, Todd Lacey, reckons the sweet spot is at the four-to-five-month mark as it “can save you money and provide better choice” throughout touristy hotspots.
But essentially it’s all about demand — as your holiday date creeps closer, people tend to have booked their stay. This means that the supply is less and therefore prices can go up to reflect that. Because they can!
Risking it for the biscuit 15 days out
If you’ve heard of the booking-15-days-in advance thing, US data supports that but no Australian accommodation platforms we spoke to gave it the nod.
The 2022 NerdWallet study in question found that Americans who booked 15 days in advance (compared to four months in advance) found an average of 13 per cent savings.
If you’re abroad and aren’t too fussed with missing out for the sake of a deal, sure, give it a crack. But you mightn’t find any luck down under.
Booking last-minute
If you like to live life on the edge or aren’t too phased about missing out on accommodation that ticks every single holiday box, then you can play the risky game and book last-minute.
“It’s common to see a drop in room rates when a hotel hasn’t reached its projected quota of guests,” Skyscanner Australia travel expert Jarrod Kris explained.
That’s why prices can go down the closer it gets to a weekend when people are usually getting away, but more on that below.
Locking in your hotel on a certain weekday
“[Earlier in the week] is a peak time people are planning their trips so there’s a lot of demand,” Samantha Brown, travel expert and host of PBS’ Places To Love told HerMoney.
“That demand falls off towards the end of the week when hotels see that they’re not going to fill their rooms, so they start decreasing the prices by Friday and Saturday, making those days the best time to book a hotel.”
The data Skyscanner shared with PEDESTRIAN.TV also echoed this sentiment, saying domestic bookings are best booked on Friday and international bookings on Thursdays.
Marking sale dates in your calendar
Some of the best travel deals these days are born out of those big sale events — including accommodation.
Mark dates for Black Friday, Travel Tuesday and Boxing Day in your calendar! But keep in mind that there are a few variables, such as rigid travel dates. Some hotels will, simply put, never be part of a sale. And some booking periods are just too in demand to warrant savings.
“Scoring a great deal will depend on the hotel itself, the location and room availability,” explained Kris from Skyscanner.
It’s also worth using aggregators to compare prices, like this one.
Being flexible with timings and locations
If you can, try and book a holiday that’s not in a peak period like school holidays. Some of us won’t have a choice, but, if there’s any room for flexibility, that’s where your savings will really happen as most accommodation pricing is determined by demand.
Airbnb have something called “smart pricing” for their hosts, for example. When they turn it on, it means the platform will automatically adjust their nightly prices based on the demand. Higher demand? More expensive.
If you know exactly where you want to go, find your destination’s busiest season or time of year and plan your trip outside of it. Have you seen Byron Bay over New Year’s? Case and point. Same thing goes for weekends.
“Staying in Florence, Italy at Hotel Kraft in early June 2025 (peak period) will set you back $634 a night, as opposed to $204 a night when looking to travel in early November 2025 (off peak period),” Kris explained.
That’s a higher-end example, but $400 per night is a wild saving for the exact same service nonetheless.
When to book accommodation: the verdict
Knowing when to book accommodation ultimately comes down to your holiday priorities and needs. Sometimes there are things you can’t mess with, such as bookings for large groups, wifi for remote working and so on — and in such cases trying out the saving routes just aren’t worth the risk.
“Value can be subjective,” Kris from Skyscanner said.
“For some, it means getting the cheapest deal, while for others, it’s about getting the best product for their budget.”
There is a little hack people use to keep their options open though.
If you look for accommodation options with flexible cancellation policies, which a lot of platforms, like Booking.com and Stayz, have these days.
You can book four-to-five months out for peace of mind and then keep your eye out for better deals in the lead-up. Then just rebook the better deal and cancel the old one if it’s before the cancellation deadline! Everyone does it.
Think of it like the situationship of travel — you don’t need to fully commit but at least it’ll keep you warm at night if nothing better comes along.
Chantelle Schmidt is a freelance travel writer. You can follow her on Instagram.
Image: The White Lotus, HBO.
The post Is There A Timing Trick To Get The Cheapest Accommodation For Your Next Vacay? appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
