Well, the short answer to the question “Is it time to book your summer holiday already?” is indeed a resounding “YES,” but obviously there are some very specific reasons for that, which we’re going to discuss now. The truth is it doesn’t just apply to a summer holiday, but any trip that you’re sure you’re going to take some time in the future. The Family Vacation Guide offers some great advice on different attractions you may want to visit, but you’ll need to book quickly to avoid disappointment. Here are some of the top reasons why it’s definitely time to book your summer holiday right now and why, as per the bigger picture of this discussion, finalising the details of your trip well in advance is always recommended.

Cheaper prices

It’s no secret that the longer away your departure date is, the cheaper the prices will be, including airfare, accommodation and some of the activities you will naturally want to enjoy as part of your summer escape.

A greater selection of options

The closer to the departure date you want to book, the fewer options there are, because everybody else is scurrying to snap up the remaining spots.

The inherent variable-dates hack

For some reason airlines and accommodations appear to offer more flexibility in the travel dates you select when you’re booking well in advance. For instance, a property might have a billed-cancellation policy if you book and want to cancel closer to the arrival date, but if you book much further away then they’re inclined to offer the luxury of being able to change your dates and even cancel for free.

Everyday cheap travel deals

Look, with some elements of your travels the cheap prices on offer form an inherent part of the regular deal. I guess by now if you travel around Europe in particular or from Europe, you will know all about so-called budget airlines such as the already and increasingly popular Ryanair, through which cheap flight tickets are available throughout the year. That’s what they’re all about. With that in mind then, the argument that booking in advance will have you in for cheaper prices seems to go out the window, but depending on how you look at it there’s still a great deal to benefit out of booking well in advance.

If you’ve ever had to call the Ryanair customer services number then you’ll know all about the variable quality of the outcome of the service you’ll get, which in all honesty depends on when you’re calling. You do not want to leave issues to be sorted out to the last minute, which could have knock-on effects such as having to pay a colossal amount for excess luggage or getting charged what appears to a ridiculous amount of money for something like having your ticket printed out on site.

Booking in advance will help you avoid all such possible issues and as much as budget airlines generally offer cheap prices all year round, there are indeed certain dates that are even cheaper than others. You’ll give yourself ample time to plan accordingly, in line with those dates if you start booking your summer holiday right now.