A travel expert has analysed data to find the cheapest time to book a holiday in 2026, down to the exact minute that could save you money
Booking at a specific time of day could make your holiday cheaper(Image: d3sign via Getty Images)
Booking a getaway is thrilling, but as we organise our travels we’re always keen to ensure we’re securing the best deal. Nowadays, many holidaymakers turn to online platforms to arrange trips overseas instead of visiting traditional travel agents.
This shift has provided tourists with greater convenience to make bookings at any hour. Yet, one expert has cautioned that the time of day you book can significantly impact the price of identical holidays.
The cost of your break might simply depend on when you press that booking button.
Travel guru Rob.onthebeach regularly posts his money-saving tips across social media, and he believes he’s identified the most economical time to reserve a 2026 holiday.
Rob has been analysing data daily to determine both the priciest and most affordable booking windows, right down to the exact minute, reports the Express.
Based on Rob’s findings, the costliest period to arrange a holiday falls between 9am and 10am. He noted: “Booking in those hours came in 30% more expensive than the cheapest hour of the day.”
When it came to revealing the optimal booking window, Rob disclosed it’s actually in the early hours. The period between 4am and 5am emerged as the prime time to secure a bargain.
Rob explained his theory: “Overnight, airline pricing systems basically reset. The interest and the demand from the day before all drops off, prices return closer to their base level, then as the day goes on more searches, more clicks, more people just having a look, and prices start to creep back up again.”
The expert acknowledged that most people would prefer not to set an alarm for 4am to secure a holiday booking, so he also identified the optimal time to book during more reasonable hours.
He discovered that late evening, roughly between 8pm and 10pm, is “noticeably” more affordable than the morning surge.
Nevertheless, for those genuinely seeking a bargain, Rob pinpointed the precise moment that proved most economical. Rob revealed: “The cheapest, single minute to book a holiday is 2:48am.
“Booking at that exact moment came out 60% cheaper.”
Despite these findings, Rob cautioned that reserving at 2:48am won’t make every single holiday “automatically 60% cheaper”.
He added: “But the pattern is really clear, if you really want to save money on your holiday, the early hours beat the office hours every time.”