how late to plan trips?

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ucjffj

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i'm trying to pair interviews together. as such i'm waiting as long as possible before booking airplanes/hotels.

how long should i wait before booking? 2 weeks before interview? when will airplanes and hotel prices start to change and go up?
 
You may want to try pricing trips to where you are expecting to go right now at intervals of 1,2, and 3 weeks out--This should give you a good idea of what the fare structure is for these routes. So, if LAX-ORD is 150 r/t 2 weeks from now it will most likely always be 150 r/t as long as you buy your ticket 2 weeks out. But, normally, its more expensive inside the 14-day window (sometime 21-day window). As for hotels, most of the schools have negotiated rates at hotels and you should be able to utilize these. If not, shop around to find a hotel that suits your budget.
 
i think it's best to book trips early. fares seem to be lower the earlier i book flights.
 
bewitched1081 said:
i think it's best to book trips early. fares seem to be lower the earlier i book flights.

but combining interviews is even cheaper. instead of 4 flights, you only need 3. if the schools are near each other, you only need 2.


so do hotel prices change over time(hotels without school rates)?
 
ucjffj said:
so do hotel prices change over time(hotels without school rates)?
not usually; hotel prices are generally set by the day of the week, though im not sure how. also, if there is a special event in the area, it can get expensive.
 
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