Marcus Webb
Saving money while traveling can be quite simple: off-season travel is generally very cheap. What is off-season for certain destinations is not always written down in travel guides and sometimes even contradict each other. For 12 well-known travel destinations I researched the cheapest months for travel as well as the compensations for your choices, which can save up to 60% compared to peak season prices. Saving 20-40% is also realistic for longer periods of time.
Europe: late autumn beats winter
Tourist season in Western Europe for cities like Rome, Madrid and Lisbon end in late October and beginning of November. The last week of October to first two weeks of November has off-peak prices while there are still plenty of daylight hours and mild enough weather to walk around and explore cities. Late autumn for these cities is cheap for traveler and nice for walking around.
Japan: January and the second half of November
Japan’s main tourist season is cherry blossom time (late March to mid-April) and the autumn foliage (around mid-November). The weeks on either side of these two events are less expensive and are great for traveling on a budget. The second half of November and the third week of January are particularly cheap, as long as you don’t mind the cold in the north of the country and some of the mountain areas will be closed for the season. Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are great in January as they are comfortable and very cheap compared to April. Avoid traveling in Japan during New Year week (December 30 to January 5) as the country is in shut-down and most restaurants and shops will be closed for the holiday.
Southeast Asia: rainy season trade-offs
It is true that in many parts of Southeast Asia the peak season and the worst weather of the year coincides, but that does not mean that there are not times of the year when you can save a large amount of money on travel to the region. Of course, there are some places where the rainy season is worse than others, but for some of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia, the cheapest time to visit is during the region’s downpours. I have found that the cheapest time to visit Thailand is during the country’s rainy season, May through October, when prices for accommodations can be as much as 30 to 50 percent lower than during the rest of the year. Yes, it rains a lot, but it is almost always for short periods of time, and there is usually plenty of time to get out and enjoy the beach between downpours. As for other countries in the region, I have found that Vietnam can be split into two separate regions for travel purposes: the north and the south. The north is at its best in October and November and in April, while the south is at its best from December through March. If you are planning a trip that will take you to both the north and the south of Vietnam, then you will have to accept less than perfect weather in at least one of the two areas. Bali is at its cheapest in May and June and in September and October, while the worst time to visit in terms of both price and weather is during the region’s wet season, December through February. The second option is longer, but it saves 40 minutes.
Latin America: shoulder seasons are dramatic
When it comes to other parts of the planet, I see way bigger price fluctuations than most tourists. That’s why the lowest prices in Argentina – especially in Patagonia – are found in the austral summer months November-February, while prices for accommodations in places like Peru plunge in the rainy season months December-February. In these months Inca Trail hikes are limited, however, and while prices in Peru are a bit higher from March-May, the weather and conditions for long hikes are far better. I follow a very simple rule of thumb here: prices that are way too low are almost always a bad idea.
United States: domestic flight patterns
There is a very clear pattern for domestic flights in the US, and one that many travelers are often completely unaware of. While many tend to think of summer as peak season, in reality, it’s a very specific time frame that dictates prices. And while prices may be low in some destinations during certain parts of the year, the weather can be a real turn off. The cheapest time to visit Hawaii is actually mid-April to mid-June (between the end of spring break and the start of summer) and then again in August through to October. However, December through to early April is the peak time to visit, and Florida is cheapest in June through to November (hurricane season), however there are some big trade-offs in this time of year. The shoulder weeks of peak season for National Parks (the first two weeks of summer and the last two weeks of winter) are also a great time to visit as prices are around 20% lower than peak, and while some facilities may be closed, there are still plenty of others open.
How to think about the real cost
Traveling cheaply is not the same as traveling well. The best trips are the ones that provide the most value for the money, and some of the most valuable experiences on earth actually cost very little. But, as with anything in life, there are always trade-offs to be had, and you have to spend money on something. In general, it is best to spend your hard-earned cash on the things that will provide the most value, and save on the things where big savings can be had. In terms of actual costs, travelers must factor in more than just the ticket price, accommodation rate, and cost of meals. These prices are just the starting point, and what actually matters is the all-in cost of the trip. For most travelers, this number will be substantially higher than the sum of the costs of individual components due to a variety of hidden fees, the price of getting from one place to another, and a host of small, seemingly insignificant daily expenditures that quickly add up to a lot of money. The goal is to save as much as possible in categories where large discounts can be had, and spend as much as necessary on the things that will really matter in the long run.
