Never book more than 30 days in advance!
Prices are often more if you book your travel more than 30 days out. The best deals are found 1-30 days before you planned trip.
One exception is if there is a major event that you are attending that is very popular. In this case yes, you should book early, up to one year in advance. Our if your destination is popular and has limited properties.
Airline tickets tend to hold their prices steady after the 21 day window. Prices go up when you are booking inside that 21 day window.
Hotel prices tend to get less expensive as you come closer to your arrival date. This is because the hotel does not make a dime on an empty room, so it discounts heavily as rooms are to expire empty.
Consider Travel Insurance
The further out you book, the greater the likelihood that some piece of your trip might go awry. It may be at your end -- with schedule changes, emergencies, wedding collapses -- or at your destination, where events are canceled, airline route maps change, hotels cease operations, political changes or natural disasters occur, there is no snow for skiing -- you get the idea.
Travel insurance from a reputable provider will cover all or most potential problems. Note that if there was ever a time to read the fine print, it is when buying travel insurance; you need to make sure the most likely occurrences are covered. Some policies cover you if you simply change your mind, while others barely cover you if your destination is wiped off the map by a tornado. Look closely at the coverage and exemptions in your policy before signing on and paying up.
