Marcus RichardsProcrastination is something many, many people live very comfortably with. You might be the type of person who is a master at procrastination and would rather leave things and arrangements to the last minute, and this can usually get you through life, but it really is not the optimal way to do anything, especially when it comes to things like booking and preparing for your trips, be they vacation or business related. So without further ado, let us run over some reasons why booking in advance can be so beneficial, and downright necessary, sometimes.
Domestic Advantage
If you have a family, especially children, booking in advance is almost mandatory, as it is certainly the better option for a family with children who are still in school, as you have more limited time windows to plan and organize your vacation, such as the summer and Easter holidays. When you book ahead of time, you have the luxury of selecting which hotels to stay at, which seats on the plane to take, which country to visit, and so on. Would you like to see Italy? How does a ticket for the Vatican sound to you? Go visit one of the smallest but also one of the most powerful independent states in the world. Rather than scrambling around frantically at the last minute and maybe not even getting the seats you wanted or the hotel rooms you were interested in as they have already been booked out, you get to take your vacation with ease and comfort, without the stress and hassle that are so often entailed with traveling.
Calm and Patient
Booking early also gives you one huge advantage: the luxury of being able to bide your time and just wait. Wait for a discount, a better offer, deals, and opportunities you would have completely missed if you had left it all to the last minute of planning. A bigger variety of hotels and hotel rooms will be available to you, and if you have more specific requests, such as wanting a room on the first floor or a room with a sea view, then this will be able to be catered for with more ease. Booking early also gives you a bit of a psychological leg up, if you will, and gives you something to look forward to, especially during the winter months. There are also a few more steps you should take before embarking on your journey to ensure you have the most relaxed and fun vacation possible. Maybe even start having a countdown, with the excitement in your household growing with each passing day. You will find that it is often the little things that matter in life, especially if you have children.
Avoid the Lines
Nobody wants to waste their valuable vacation time waiting in lines, but it is often unavoidable, especially if you are traveling during peak season. Booking the tickets early means you can avoid hours of waiting for your turn to enjoy the attraction or getting onto the bus or plane. Booking in advance does not guarantee that there will be no hardships at all, of course, as that is just part of traveling, but it does give you an edge and can potentially save you hours of tediousness.
Saving Money
This is rather common knowledge, but it bears repeating nonetheless, booking ahead often means much cheaper tickets and smaller fees. Booking even five weeks in advance can result in a significant decrease in prices. You might even consider booking tickets a year in advance, perhaps around Christmas, as many airlines offer discounts for early bookings. In addition to getting a better deal while also saving money, you can avoid many exchange rates and foreign transaction fees. But just because you booked in advance does not mean that you have to be locked into your travel plans; most companies will let you alter or even cancel your booking just days before the trip starts. So even if you are an adventurer who loves spontaneity, booking ahead may be exactly what you need to get the most out of your journey.
Whether you are a frequent traveler, on the road multiple times a month, or only travel once or twice a year with family and friends, the organization and planning are mostly the same, and perhaps it is now clear why booking early and in advance should always be at the very least considered, if not acted upon. We hope that this post will inspire you to plan ahead when you travel so that you can create amazing memories.
