One advisor said she is witnessing shorter lead times for multigenerational trips. Pictured, travelers on an AmaWaterways' river cruise. (Photo Credit: AmaWaterways)
Are clients booking further out this year compared to previous years – or are they booking closer in? The answer to that question depends on who you ask. Although many travel advisors report shorter booking windows, others note that booking windows are lengthening compared to past years.
Economic Instability, Shorter Lead Times
“I have had a ton of recent inquiries for May and early summer, with clients booking about two to three months out,” said Deb Summers of Deb Summers Travel Design, an affiliate of Montecito Village Travel. “I am getting a few cruise deposits for 2027, but people are very hesitant to put down nonrefundable deposits in the current climate.”
In Summers’ view, there’s a feeling of an overall instability in the six- to 12-month range; she says prospective travelers are concerned about what their job situation will look like, government shutdowns and military actions, all of which are putting clients off more far-flung travel.
“I think people look ahead and say, ‘OK, we’ll be fine to take that domestic beach trip in June,’ but they're hesitating more to plan the summer 2027 safari,” she said
Summers is also working on booking several large trips that are set to depart in the next two to three months — trips that she normally advises clients to book eight months to a year out.
“I had to turn down several February requests for March and April trips just due to capacity,” she said.
Last-Minute Surges
For their part,Jim and Julie Welch, owners of Amaze Travel, an affiliate of Montecito Village Travel, have witnessed a shift from clients booking four to eight months out to now booking about two to five months out this year.
“We’ve spent the first months of 2026 booking a lot of May, June and July trips — more than usual, with bookings at record levels for those months,” Jim Welch said. “You can’t specifically measure it, but we do feel clients are more certain with their decision to travel when they reach out. They are ready to book and move forward, and they need fewer pre-booking calls and discussions.”
Meanwhile, Teresa Panel McCombs of TP McCombs Travel, an affiliate of Travel Experts, says her business is tracking 15% higher than last year, with clients planning their trips later than usual.
“I’m seeing multiple multigenerational trips being planned with short lead times, which is driving higher pricing due to limited availability,” she said.
Another Travel Experts affiliate, Suzanne Perun of Perun Travel, says that while 2026 is off to “an explosive start” for her agency, more clients are “booking and planning later than usual, with last-minute booking even just a few weeks out.”
The Luxe Exception: Why Some Are Booking Earlier
However, Richard Bruce Turen, managing director of Churchill & Turen, is finding the opposite to be true; he’s noticing a trend toward longer trips, with an accompanying longer booking window.
“Clients are slowly getting educated on overtourism and heat issues, and they are anxious to lock in their preferred/recommended time frame,” he said. “The newest component of timing is the feeling that airlines may be cutting back on the number of international flights, and guests are anxious to lock in air schedules as early as possible.”
On the ultra-luxury cruise front, Turen says consumers are learning that, despite offers and sales, “the reality is that prices are often being raised at 90-day or so intervals, and published offers are always based on the higher 'current' fares.”
“Those who book the first 20-30% of a ‘true luxe’ line almost always receive the best pricing,” he added.
Planning With Purpose
For Alexis Sherry of AS Travel Pro, a Travel Experts affiliate, 2026 business is shaping up to be even stronger than last year, with clients planning more thoughtfully — often mapping out travel for the entire year in advance, she notes.
“Spending remains strong and, in many cases, increasing, and clients are less focused on cutting costs and more focused on maximizing experiences,” Sherry said.
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