We’re last minute people, maybe a week in advance without air travel, a month with. A family friend just invited us to join them on a vacation NOVEMBER 2025. That seems bonkers to me!
How far in advance do you plan a small trip like a road trip or visiting family, and how far in advance for a big trip like international travel, a cruise, or Disney?
Road trip? Usually week or night of.
Airline travel within 4 hours, domestic or international is usually 2 days before hand.
Airline travel across the world is usually planned as a time block a month or two ahead of time. The actual destination and activities being planned as the dates get closer.
Exceptions are scheduled events. If I have an event to attend in a location, I’ll make a hotel reservation and book tickets for the thing. Then checkup options for travel there. Sometimes it’s part of a multileg journey.
Often I don’t know where in the world I will even be the week leading up to the thing. So I tend to either not purchase travel tickets, or buy a few different ones from hubs globally that are cheap and easy to get to.
You sound like us. We have a few weeks blocked off but no plans yet.