Booking.com Presents the 2020 Thrifty Travel Calendar
As 2019 comes to an end and the nights get ever darker, many of us are looking for comfort by drawing up travel plans for 2020. With this in mind, Booking.com, the digital travel leader connecting travelers with the widest choice of unique places to stay, a range of must-do travel experiences and seamless transport options, has created a pricing calendar for the coming year, to make it easier for travelers of all budgets find the best value-for-money destination for each month of the year ahead.
Enjoy this perfectly-priced itinerary of places to check off your travel bucket-list for 2020.
January - Saas Fee, Switzerland
Located on a glacier in the Swiss Alps near the Italy border is the resort village of Saas Fee, where skiing is possible all year round. Travelers could be shredding fresh lines in winter, gliding along well-groomed pistes in spring, or taking on kickers and rails in the Freestyle Park during summer. The most affordable time to visit, though, is in January, when prices can be 25% more affordable than the most expensive time of the year. There’s a good mix of runs in Saas Fee this time of year, though most of them are best suited to intermediate skiers and riders. If you can brave the cold, head up to Allalin – a nearby restaurant that’s the world’s highest revolving restaurant at 11,480 feet above sea level – or dive straight into the après-ski along the lively Gletscherstraße (glacier street). To explore other ski holiday options in Switzerland and beyond, visit Booking.com’s dedicated ski pages.
February - Copenhagen, Denmark
February is the most affordable month to visit Denmark’s vibrant capital, Copenhagen, as it’s more than 40% more affordable than the most expensive time of the year, June. What better time to visit Denmark than during a time of year that gives a perfect introduction to the world to the concept of hygge (the Danish word that roughly translates into “coziness”)? February is also the perfect time to explore the city by popping in and out of various cozy, candle lit cafes to warm up with a hot bowl of traditional gule ærter (pea soup) or a steaming bowl of ramen from Copenhagen’s more hip, multicultural neighborhood, Nørrebro.
March - Chicago, USA
March is a terrific time to visit the Windy City. While travelers will likely have to pack some extra layers to visit outside attractions like Millenium Park, crowds will be a lot sparser and accommodation prices can be up to 35% more affordable than the most expensive month to visit, August. If traveling to Chicago in March, don’t miss the famous St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, which are a fun opportunity for visitors to celebrate the rich Irish-American heritage that’s prominent throughout the city. From lively pub crawls, parades and festivals to the city’s tradition of dying the Chicago River bright shades of green, there is no shortage of things to do in Chicago this March!
April - Dusseldorf, Germany
The historical city center of Dusseldorf is sometimes referred to as The Longest Bar in the World as there are as many as 300 bars to choose from within a small radius of the city’s old town. The city on the Rhine has much more to offer than just bars though, renowned as it is for its architecture, museums and shopping, including the Königsallee - the busiest high-end shopping street in Germany. The month of April is an excellent time to visit Dusseldorf, with spring temperatures on the rise but accommodation prices more than 50% more affordable than the most expensive month of the year, October.
May - Melaka City, Malaysia
Dotted with colorful colonial buildings, beautiful mosques and eye-catching street art, Melaka has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. The city is host to a smorgasbord of different historical influences, from its time as a Malay sultanate through subsequent periods of Portuguese, Dutch and English colonial occupation. It is also famous for its street food, coffee culture and desserts, so a perfect destination for foodies. Weather in Melaka is fairly consistent throughout the year, but with high temperatures often expected in May, it also means that accommodation prices are 35% more affordable in Melaka that month than the most expensive month, December.
June - Orosei, Italy
Orosei is a little-known gem of a seaside town, tucked away in a gulf on the east side of the Italian island of Sardinia. The medieval town provides a great base to explore some of the most beautiful beaches and coves of the entire island. Visit in June ahead of peak tourist season, or in September, to find accommodation prices up to 40% lower than the most expensive times of the year.
July - Delhi, India
While July is the start of the rainy season in Delhi, it’s also when the city is at its most beautiful and the showers are generally short and bring the temperature down for a while. Capture the city’s hallmarks at their rain-washed best, such as the Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Humayun’s Tomb.Travelers who don’t mind the heat can find a great deal in July as accommodation prices can be more than 20% more affordable in Delhi than the most expensive month of the year, February.
August - Madrid, Spain
Landlocked Madrid tends to get very hot in the summer, and as many Spaniards take a few weeks off during this time of the year it tends to make the entire city slow... right…down. While many businesses do close down over this period, plenty of restaurants and bars will still be open, as will the cities’ many world-class museums. So rise early, dine late and learn to appreciate the appeal of a good siesta, as well as of cold Gazpacho, Sangria or horchata de chufa (tiger-nut milk). The month of August is 42% more affordable in Madrid than the most expensive month of the year, May.
September - Osaka, Japan
Japan’s second largest city is also known as the nation’s kitchen: from its more than 90 Michelin restaurants to its plethora of food stalls and magnificent tea culture, there is something here for everyone. September is a great time to visit Osaka as it is the low season, temperatures are warm, but less humid than during the summer months, and the middle of the month sees the famous Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri, a thrilling cart-pulling festival. Accommodation prices the month of September can be as much 28% more affordable in Osaka than the most expensive month of the year, December.
October - Biarritz, France
Biarritz is a famous surfing spot in the South of France, just on the border with Spain. The town is a sight in its own right, poised against the backdrop of a dramatic cliffside with a medieval castle on top. October is the last month of the tourist season in Biarritz, but for intermediate surfers September and October can actually be better than during the summer months: crowds get thinner and the surf gets bigger. As temperatures start to go down in October, so do the prices as the average accommodation rate in October can be over 45% lower than during the high season.
November - Prague, Czech Republic
While the Czech capital can get cold, the Gothic facades of Prague’s spectacular old town seem made to defy grim weather, so many tourists actually opt to visit in December when the weather is at its coldest and the Christmas markets are in full swing. But go in November and travelers will find the lowest prices of the year, with accommodation on average 39% more affordable in Prague than the most expensive month of the year, September.
December - San Francisco, USA
San Francisco in December is the coldest part of the year, and travelers will need to pack for some rain and wind. However, December is also the time when the city comes to life with the Dickens Christmas Fair, the lighted boat parade and the annual NOIR CITY film festival. The queues for famous attractions like Alcatraz and the California Academy of Sciences will be much shorter, flights are often less expensive and based on average prices, accommodations can be up to 33% more affordable in San Francisco in December than the most expensive month of the year, September.
Methodology: the data analysts at Booking.com analysed pricing data from November 2018 to October 2019 to establish the most expensive and most affordable months. The analysis only took into account completed (i.e., stayed) bookings of accommodations in the 3 and 4 star segments. This analysis is based on historical pricing and does not give a guarantee for future pricing and availability