When it comes to future travel, some people are planners. I know we are. We can tell you what and approximately when our longer trips, and some of our shorter ones, will be, all the way through 2022.
It’s one thing to have plans, but it’s another to have reservations. Once you have reservations, “S**t just got real,” but in an exciting way. 😉
So let’s say you have your “longer distance” plans and you want to make your various reservations. How far in advance can you actually make them? Welp, it depends…
Note: Booking your flight, hotel or rental car super early is not guaranteed to get you the cheapest rate. All it does is guarantees you a seat on a plane, a room in a hotel and, to a lesser extent, a car to drive (car rental companies never guarantee to have a car for you. Here’s what to do if they don’t).
Airlines
- Alaska – 331 days (just shy 11 months)
- Allegiant – they announce their upcoming schedule 6 to 9 months in advance
- American – 331 (just shy 11 months)
- Delta – 330 days (just shy 11 months)
- Frontier – how far in advance they announce their flights vary from season to season. On average, figure about 228 in advance (7.5 months)
- Hawaiian – 330 days (just shy 11 months)
- JetBlue – they announce their upcoming schedule 6 to 10 months in advance
- Spirit – they announce their upcoming schedule 6 to 10 months in advance
- Southwest – they announce their upcoming schedule 90 to 180 days in advance (roughly 3 to 6 months)
- United – 330 days (just shy 11 months)
Hotels
Different hotel brands are, of course, “umbrellas” for several other hotel brands. IHG, for example, may not be well known to those who are not super into points/miles/hotels, but it has 16 different brands under its name, some of which may be more well-known, such as Kimpton, Crowne Plaza, Candlewood Suites and Holiday Inn/Express.
The links below bring you to the list of hotels under each U.S.-based “umbrella.” For the most part, any hotel brand under whichever umbrella will offer the same amount of days ahead of time that you can book your room.
- Best Western – 12 brands, 350 days (11.5 months), cash/award
- Choice Hotels – 12 brands, 350 days (11.5 months)/cash or 30-100 days (1-3 months/award)
- Hilton Hotels – 18 brands, 365 days (12 months. Because math LOL), cash/award
- Hyatt Hotels – 18 brands, 395 days (13 months), cash/award
- Intercontinental Group (IHG) – 16 brands, 350 days (11.5 months) if not a Kimpton property, 355 days (11-2/3 months) if it is, cash/award
- Marriott – 31 brands, 50 weeks (11.5 months), cash/award
- Radisson Hotel Group – 8 brands, 2 years cash, 270 days (just shy 9 months) award (I’ve read that they take cash reservations 3 years in advance, but when I tried, their calendar only went 2 years into the future)
- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts – 20 brands, 364 days (12 months minus one day LOL), cash/award
Besides hotels owned by major nationwide or international brands, there are, of course, thousands upon thousands of privately owned hotels. They make their own decisions, as would bed & breakfasts, hostels, etc.
Rental Cars
Some rental car companies are owned by the same parent company. However, that doesn’t appear to always dictate how far in advance you can make a reservation with them.
- Advantage – 1 year
- Alamo – 360 days
- Avis – 370 days
- Budget – 1 year
- Dollar – Their online calendar went to 2 years in the future but when I tried to book, their computer said, “No rates qualify with requested parameters.” The same thing happened with 1 year out, and 11 months out. I did get rates for 10 months out. So somewhere between 10 and 11 months LOL
- Enterprise – 1 year
- E-Z – 1 year
- Fox – 18 months (the online calendar on their homepage seems to go on forever. I stopped at 5 years out and it would have kept on going, but when I tried to make a reservation with those dates [Feb. 24, 2025 to Feb. 25, 2025], it told me couldn’t find any vehicles & to select a different date or location, LOL)
- Hertz – 15 months
- National – 360 days
- Silvercar by Audi – 180 days (the online calendar on their homepage seems to go on forever. I stopped at 5 years out and it would have kept on going, but when I tried to make a reservation with those dates (Feb. 24, 2025, to Feb. 25, 2025), it told me I could only make a reservation up to 180 out, LOL)
- Sixt – 1 year
- Thrifty – Their online calendar went to 2 years in the future but when I tried to book, their computer said, “No rates qualify with requested parameters.” The same thing happened with 1 year out, and 11 months out. I did get rates for 10 months out. So somewhere between 10 and 11 months LOL!
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
