Why you should book your New York trip in advance

This is a question that comes up regularly on the New York Forum: how far in advance should you plan a trip to New York? There’s no magic number of days—it wouldn’t make sense anyway—but one thing is clear: the earlier you start, the better. Why? Here are the key reasons to consider.

1/ Flights are cheaper when you book ahead

• You’ve probably noticed this yourself: flight prices change daily, sometimes several times a day. Airlines use a technique called “Yield Management” to maximize revenue on each flight. Their goal is to fill the plane in a way that brings in the most money.
• To do this, airlines start with attractive fares when tickets first go on sale, then gradually raise prices. They assume that people booking a month, two weeks, or a week before have limited options and will pay more.
• At the very last minute, airlines may offer discounts to fill empty seats—but that’s a gamble. When you book in advance, you’re guaranteed a seat on your preferred flight at a lower price.

2/ Everyone travels to New York

• You won’t be alone. In 2017, the Big Apple welcomed 62.8 million visitors, nearly 50 million of them from the United States. That’s over 170,000 visitors per day—imagine an entire city the size of a major metropolitan area arriving in New York every single day.
• And it’s growing. New York is attracting more visitors from emerging markets like China, India, and Brazil. In 2017, more Chinese tourists visited New York than French tourists—over 1 million Chinese visitors compared to 700,000 French visitors.
• Tourism in New York has exploded over the past 15 years. In 2000, there were only 36 million visitors—half the current number. The problem is that hotel capacity hasn’t kept pace. You need to book well in advance to find a good hotel at a reasonable price. Check our hotel reviews for New York and our list of recommended hotels in New York based on visitor feedback.

3/ You’ll have choices instead of settling

• With so many visitors, hotels, attractions, Broadway musicals in New York, and sporting events fill up fast. Take The Lion King, one of Broadway’s most popular shows: a week before performances, most time slots are already sold out.
• The same goes for helicopter tours in New York. While visitor numbers have doubled in 15 years, the number of flights has been cut in half. New York City has reduced helicopter traffic and banned Sunday flights. Book late and you may find no flights available for your preferred date, or you’ll be stuck with an inconvenient time.
• If you’re spending a week or 10 days in New York and want to see a specific show or catch an NBA basketball game, book your tickets as soon as possible. You can check availability in real time through our New York excursions section.

4/ You’ll have the perfect trip

• Here’s one more reason that has nothing to do with statistics or money: planning ahead lets you craft a trip that matches exactly what you want from New York.
• Starting early gives you time to post your itinerary on the forum and get feedback from other travelers. As the founder of this blog, I’m always happy to help too 😉
• You can explore the 320,000 posts on the New York Forum and dig through this treasure of information for ideas—whether it’s finding a good tattoo shop or planning a gospel service visit in Harlem.
• You can also find ideas and photos on the Destination New York Facebook group. Several members share their trips in real time! 🙂
• Don’t forget my new 250-page full-color guidebook, Destination New York, where I cover everything you need to know and see. Planning a trip is already the beginning of the adventure!