Cheapest Day to Book a Hotel | Best Time of the Week to Book (2023)

FAQs

What day of the week is cheapest to book hotels? ›

Cheapest Day to Book Hotel Reservations

Most travel agencies agree that the cheapest days to book hotels are Fridays and Saturdays.

The best day of the week to book your hotel at the lowest rate is Monday for domestic travel and Tuesday for international travel, according to travel site Expedia.

The ideal amount of time to book a hotel room is only 15 days before your trip, according to a 2021 NerdWallet study. Looking at more than 2,500 hotel room rates between 2019 and 2021, NerdWallet found rates were about 13% cheaper when booked 15 days before compared to four months before.

Checking in on Tuesday and checking out on Thursday tend to offer more bargains when it comes to hotel rates as of late, Kayak data suggests.

Since hotels are always aiming to maximize their occupancy rate, many will decrease their rates if they aren't meeting their expected targets. That's why you'll often see hotels dropping their prices a few days before a check-in date or on the day of arrival.

When you search for a hotel room on a travel website, does the website's software recognize you, and does it adjust the price display based on that recognition? A new report goes some way to answer that question. And the short answer is, “Yes, in some cases, but the price differences are generally small.”

Are hotels cheaper last minute, or are you better off booking them well in advance? Generally speaking, hotels are often cheaper last minute if there are still a significant number of rooms available. On the other hand, if the hotel is almost full then this will most likely result in inflated prices.

While it's almost always cheaper to book a room last-minute, how much cheaper is it, really? Turns out, though a bit cheaper, don't expect the bargain bin here. Rooms average 13% less when booked last-minute than booked four months in advance.

Though it's best to phone ahead, you can negotiate on arrival. If you walk in without a reservation and are unhappy with the rate you are quoted, tell the desk clerk and ask if there is a lower rate or offer a rate that you are willing to pay.

Advantages of Booking a Hotel Directly

You can often find better rates by booking directly, too — a concern for budget-conscious travelers. By calling a hotel directly, you find out about any specials perks or packages they have available. In some cases, you can get a better room for the same amount of money.

Do hotels get cheaper late at night? ›

“On average, same-day hotel rates are 10% less than booking the day before and then typically drop dramatically around 4 p.m,” Shank added. “If you book at 8 p.m., you can usually save another 5-10%.”

While your hotel's management usually won't be able to see the contents of your communications, they can easily find out what websites you visit and how much time you spend browsing the Internet.

Expedia. Those looking for steeply discounted hotel bookings should use the Expedia app. It comes with exclusive deals you may not find when booking on its website. This includes deals up to 40% off as well as the app-only Expedia Rewards rate of 2 points per dollar.

You may have heard that there is a cheap window of time during the week to book your airline tickets. According to CheapAir.com, that's a myth. The day and time of the week have no impact on ticket prices.

You can usually book a hotel at all hours of the night but you may be required to book over the phone or in person if you are trying to book a hotel for the “night” that began the previous calendar day. In some instances, you might also be able to negotiate a discount with the front desk.