It may feel too early to plan your next winter vacation right now. However, January could be the perfect time to book travel for next winter using your points and miles.
Most major US hotel chains and airlines (Southwest Airlines and Choice Privileges are two notable exceptions) that allow you to book bonus nights and flights 11 to 13 months in advance.
You’ll often find the best rates on high season travel when you book early, especially if you book with a flexible rewards pricing program.
If you can book an award with minimal change and cancellation fees, it’s best to cancel early — especially if you have travel restrictions during school holidays. With this in mind, here are some trips that families should consider booking now.
Booking for New Year’s Eve 2023
I spent New Year’s Eve 2022 in Hobart, Tasmania, at my new art deco-inspired home. Tasman, Luxury Collection hotel.
Since I booked my vacation almost 10 months ago, I have already redeemed 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a room that normally sells for AU$750 ($520) a night.
The room has stunning harbor views from the floor-to-ceiling windows, making it the ultimate vantage point for the New Year’s Eve fireworks display.
There are some great deals you can book right now for New Year’s Eve 2023. Here are the current prizes and standard cash prices for some of our favorites:
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- Hyatt New York Hotel in New York City: 45,000 points or $2,067.85 (4.6 cents each).
- Hotel 50 Bowery in New York City: 23,000 points or $949.03 (4.2 cents each).
- Andaz Singapore in Singapore: 23,000 points or $523.96 (2.3 cents each).
- Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa in the Maldives: 35,000 points or $2,558.00 (7.3 cents each).
- Hyatt Place Dubai Jumeirah in Dubai: 6,500 points or $371.25 (5.7 cents each).
- Hyatt Regency Miami in Miami: 15,000 points or $654.27 (4.7 cents per point).
- Mission Pacific Hotel in Oceanside, California: 17,000 points or 587.14 USD (3.5 cents each).
I can almost guarantee that as the holidays approach, these options will disappear or become significantly more expensive. The same can be said for airline ticket redemptions, so go ahead and snag some free or no-cost award tickets. change and cancellation fees (and then periodically check discount).
Related: TPG staff share new year resolutions on credit cards
Book a ski vacation
Some families enjoy taking winter skiing trips. If this is like your family — and you want value from your points and miles — now is the perfect time to book a ski trip in December 2023 or January 2024.
Here are some options for redeem World of Hyatt points at popular ski spots for Martin Luther King Jr.’s weekend getaway. next year.
The availability of this award may not last. You might end up winning a last-minute Hyatt award at a decent rate, but expect rates in programs that use fully dynamic prize pricing to skyrocket.
This being said, you can redeem points for five nights and get the least expensive free night on most Marriott stays.
If you’re looking for total luxury, consider redeeming 480,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to spend five nights just before Christmas at City Park St. Regis.
While that may sound too expensive, the same room booked with cash will cost close to $15,000. That means you’ll get about 3.1 cents per Marriott point, about four times that our pricing.
A more budget-friendly Marriott option is the Element Basalt-Aspen, which offers free parking. Here you can book a studio room with a king size bed with sofa bed and a fully equipped kitchenette with stove, dishwasher, microwave, sink, full-sized fridge and freezer.
Five nights here just before Christmas cost 168,000 points or $2,238.39. By using points you will get 1.3 coins per point.
If you are a Elite of Hilton Honors member, you can also get Thursday night free to use points. If you have the Hilton score, consider the Hampton Inn & Suites Tahoe-Truckee. While this property does not offer indoor ski access, winter bonus bookings will be open soon, and we expect rates around 45,000 to 50,000 points per night.
Related: Planning a family ski trip this winter? Here’s what you need to know
Book 2023 Thanksgiving and winter break
While the cash rate may drop over the next few months, don’t delay booking holiday bonus tickets.
Prize space on flights can be unpredictable. So if you don’t find what you’re looking for, consider installing ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures) warns. That way, ExpertFlyer will notify you if there are space(s).
The hotel award space often becomes more limited as the holidays get closer. Whether it’s a trip to visit grandparents or one action packed family journeyTake a few minutes to survey potential trips now and make some flexible rewards bookings.
Related: TPG .’s top 10 family vacation destinations
bottom line
Last-minute prize theft can happen, but families with set travel dates during high season are the best way to plan trips in advance.
Plans can change, but getting ahead with a cash-back bonus reservation can make for the perfect vacation.
Additional reporting by Summer Hull.
