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How far out can you book a hotel? In addition, does making reservations at the far side of the booking window provide any tangible benefit? Each hotel chain handles reservations differently, with the booking windows of major hotel chains maxing out at two years.
We’re big fans of the book early, book often philosophy. Award travel often depends on finding scarce award availability. In fact, you’ll have much better luck piecing together an itinerary of award flights and hotels if you book at the outer reaches of the booking window.
Why Book Hotels in Advance?
When you’re battling to piece an itinerary together and juggling multiple rewards currencies, booking in advance provides the best possible chance of securing availability at the lowest award rate. On the other hand, revenue bookings tend to decrease in price as you get closer to your stay. Then, they spike at the last minute.
Waiting to book your hotel can be risky. As the departure date approaches and “standard” rooms fill up, award prices can remain the same or increase. They also could disappear entirely. While it's possible to get lucky and secure a standard room in a busy location close to your check-in date, there's also a chance you won't get the accommodation you want. Additionally, if no standard rooms are available, you may pay extra for a premium one, especially with programs such as Hilton Honors.
Booking hotels as the booking window opens provides certainty for your vacation plans. Even if you only keep the reservation until award space in a better hotel or suite availability opens up, many hotels will allow you to cancel an award at no cost. Some even permit free cancellation up to the night before your arrival. Remember, the hotel, not the chain, dictates award cancellation policies. It's always worth checking the hotel's cancellation policy before confirming your reservation.
Advance Booking Policies at Major Hotel Brands
So, what are the policies? Here's how far in advance you can book a hotel stay at each major brand:
| Hotel Rewards Program | Booking Window |
|---|---|
| Accor Live Limitless | 404 days |
| Best Western | 350 days |
| Choice Privileges | 50 weeks for both award and paid stays; 365 days for Preferred Hotels & Resorts properties |
| Hilton Honors | 365 days (but may depend on the hotel) |
| IHG One Rewards | 350 days |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 50 weeks |
| Radisson Rewards | 730 days (2 years) |
| World of Hyatt | 394 days; however, elite members (Explorists and above) are able to book award nights 13 months out (most properties) |
| Wyndham Rewards | 364 days |
The booking window varies widely between chains. IHG and Marriott allow you to book a little under 12 months out. In comparison, Radisson Rewards allows you to book two years in advance. The average booking window is around 12 months.
When to Book Hotels Well in Advance
There are plenty of opportunities to book a hotel just a week or a month before check-in, land a good deal, or find wide-open availability. However, select circumstances warrant booking as far in advance as your planning allows. These are the occasions when you should consider booking well in advance:
- Popular destinations or room types, such as the overwater bungalows in the Maldives
- High season in busy destinations
- Destinations with few chain hotels (meaning fewer points redemption options)
- When traveling with kids or a big family needing multiple rooms
- When attending weddings, sporting and music events, or cultural performances
- Airport hotels for early morning or late evening arrival/departure
- When booking promo or discount awards
- If you need to use free night certificates before they expire
Related: How to Get Hotel Elite Status for Free (or Almost Free)
Final Thoughts
Planning your award stays well into the future is an excellent way of securing the best deals and guaranteeing that you have accommodation during peak season. Most programs allow you to book your hotel stays up to 12 months in advance. That gives you a long way into the future to plan.
If we’ve missed any programs you wish to see included, please reach out in the comments. We’ll do our best to get it added to the list.
$99Rates & Fees
- Earn up to 26 points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 5X points per $1 spent on purchases on travel, gas stations, and restaurants
- 3X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 10X points for being a IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card member
- Earn up to 6X points from IHG® with Platinum Elite Status, a benefit of having this card
- Earn up to 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® One Rewards member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
$0 introductory annual fee, then $150Rates & Fees
(Terms Apply)
- 12X bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio
- 6X bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your card at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
- 4X bonus points on U.S online retail purchases
- 3X bonus points for all other eligible purchases on your card
$95Rates & Fees
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
Also, don't forget to check out our related post: How Far in Advance Can You Book Airline Award Tickets?
Hotel Advance Booking FAQ
How far in advance can you book with Hyatt?
You can book a Hyatt hotel room 394 days in advance. However, elite members (Explorists and above) are able to book reward nights 13 months out at most properties.
How far in advance can you book a Hilton hotel?
Hilton allows you to book a room 365 days in advance. You have a whole year to make plans to stay at a Hilton hotel. However, individual hotels might give you more or less time to reserve a stay.
How far in advance can you book a Marriott hotel room?
Marriott Bonvoy lets you book a room 50 weeks in advance. That's a little less than a year but still plenty of time.
How far in advance can you book a Choice hotel?
You can make both award and cash bookings at a Choice hotel 50 weeks in advance — or one year in advance if you're reserving a stay at a Preferred Hotels & Resorts property.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (Rates & Fees), and The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
