You Must Be Trippin'

Perfect Timing

December 24 2008 by Chris McGinnis

They say timing is everything, and that's especially true when it comes to saving money on business travel. Granted, many business travelers have little control over the timing of their trips. When clients (or your boss) call, you go. Period.

However, there are times when you can plan ahead. And if you travel during the following slower periods, you'll save big bucks over the coming year. So get out your 2009 calendar and consider hitting the road during the following slow periods:

January: After the holiday rush, demand for travel falls precipitously and so do prices. In the travel business, the two to three weeks after New Years are called "dead weeks," and you'll find deep discounts nearly everywhere. Warning: This is a time when many hotels schedule repairs and renovations, so be sure to ask for a room away from such activity when you check in.

The week or two AFTER Easter: Easter weekend typically signals the end of the busy spring break travel period. Schedule your business trips during this time and you are a lot less likely to have a room full of rowdy college students in the hotel room next door--and lower prices to boot! (In 2009, Easter is Sunday, April 12.)

Late May/Early June: Memorial Day weekend tends to be very busy, but just afterward and into early June, when most kids are still in school--or it's too early for summer vacation--travel demand flattens and you'll find some of the best deals of the summer. (Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 25, 2009.)

First two weeks of September: Just after Labor Day, the travel industry takes a big sigh after the long, hot summer. Travel demand and prices dip, but not as deeply as they used to. Many leisure travelers with flexible schedules (and no kids in school) have discovered that September offers the best of all worlds--- lower prices, fewer crowds and great weather. (This is a great time to consider bringing your spouse or significant other along on business trips.)

The week BEFORE and the three weeks AFTER Thanksgiving week: Similar to the previously mentioned "dead weeks," most leisure travelers stay home during the weeks surrounding the Thanksgiving peak. The only exception to this rule is Manhattan in early December--which is probably the busiest and most expensive time of the year to be there. (When are the least expensive times to make a trip to The Big Apple? In late August and again in the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve.)

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