How long does it take for you to plan a trip?

[drron]

Usually spend longer planning the trip than the actualk trip and most of our trips are ~ 8 weeks.:shock:
We have detailed plans for our trip Sept/Oct this year and for our Aporil/May trip next year.
Bare bones of our aug/sept trip 2017.
Yesterday started the planning for 2017.Will be again around a cruise which is not yet set in stone by the cruise line but we are close to the top of the wait list.

 

[Austman]

It matters to me, and no doubt the others who have responded similarly. Jolly good, I shall plan the way that suits me, thanks.

But the question is "How long does it take?" Does how long it takes matter to you? Is a longer organization time better than a shorter time? I just think it takes as long as it takes ... But shorter obviously gives you time to do other things.

 

[snabbu]

But the question is "How long does it take?" Does how long it takes matter to you? Is a longer organization time better than a shorter time? I just think it takes as long as it takes ... But shorter obviously gives you time to do other things.

Isn't this just a discussion about a relevant topic? Considering this is a frequent flyer board I personally think this is a great discussion point and can not understand why you would question the OP's thought process? I mean if you don't agree or dislike the topic you don't exactly have to participate. I do this quite often regarding threads that have no interest or relevance to me, or they have been taken way off topic.

Back OT, I could only vote on the last option as I feel I'm always planning or thinking about a trip away, no matter how far ahead! Planning is almost as much fun as the trip itself.

 

[RooFlyer]

But the question is "How long does it take?" Does how long it takes matter to you? Is a longer organization time better than a shorter time? I just think it takes as long as it takes ... But shorter obviously gives you time to do other things.

Sorry, I though the question was

I'd like to ask: "Does it matter?"

<snip>

But does it matter to you how long it matters to me; or if it matters how long? Or for that matter, anyone else?

Apologies just felt a bit argumentative.

 

[kpc]

I usually start planning about 12-15 months out in partic. to book premium award flights for +1...work often pays for mine...currently in the process of booking our Asian trip next July....also have a vague outline of a trip (work) in Lisbin in October 2016 so that I can get a premium award for +1 to accompany me. Having said that, only just booked a trip to Auh in December.

 

[Austman]

Isn't this just a discussion about a relevant topic? Considering this is a frequent flyer board I personally think this is a great discussion point and can not understand why you would question the OP's thought process? I mean if you don't agree or dislike the topic you don't exactly have to participate..

What??? For goodness sakes - I was just having an opinion!

But thanks for the lecture that I don't have to participate if I have an opinion.

And the OP was asking how long do you spend on trip planning - not how long in advance do you plan your trips...

 

[Pele]

Gday

I have already done some preliminary planning for a trip to Russia in mid 2018.

Pele.

 

[get me outta here]

I was speaking to the answer I gave to the survey that I spend more time planning than on the trip, perhaps others were doing the same .... So it me it is kinda the same thing.

And the OP was asking how long do you spend on trip planning - not how long in advance do you plan your trips...

 

[Austman]

I'd like to ask: "Does it matter?" Plan it the way that suits you.

I suppose I would have liked the poll option:

* It varies from trip to trip

Which is missing. Because that's the one I would select.

For me, some trips require almost no planning. My 16 day trip to Malaysia last month required just the air ticket and one hotel booking. The rest was all planned while I was there. Trips to Bali (or other resort type places) are similar. But other trips do need a fair bit of planning. It varies quite a lot for me.

 

[Moody]

No time at all - my staff naturally book the most expensive option available without me even have to tell them.

Yours insincerely,

BB

 

[OATEK]

We aim for at least 1 x 4 week international trip every year at present, with as little as 6 months between some, and the detailed planning begins as soon as the previous trip ends (although there is an outline plan covering a 3+ year period). While I have not tried to add up the hours, we spend a great deal of time on the internet, and talking to those that have gone before us, with many dummy bookings completed to track routes and prices. We build up a spreadsheet covering all the chief locations, our budget, and eventually all our bookings on air, land and sea. The planning process not only ensures we have a great time when we get there, but helps build the anticipation and excitement beforehand. Love trip-planning almost as much as trip-taking.

 

[Joshua]

I like a challenge. Start planning RTW awards a week in advance. Often book 24-48 hrs in advance. Record is booking a positioning flight 40 minutes prior from the car park however occasionally also buy from the airport ticketing desks. This may sound stressful and poorly managed but seldom does it cause a problem and planning on the go has benefits. Obviously a lot of background knowledge goes a long way. I'm effectively commuting ~10000 miles every so often and love to break it up and take 10 sectors to get from Europe to Australia. So sadly my answer doesn't fit the poll.

 

[Nick-]

One thing I learnt about travelling was the importance of not over-planning. I spent 7 weeks in Thailand a few years ago and quickly realised that all those hours of planning were wasted. Having a "daily schedule" of plans was fine for the first few days but then I wasn't enjoying my holiday because I forgot that I needed time to relax as-well.

I love getting to places and speaking to people and finding "hidden" gems and getting off the beaten track! Everything I had pre-planned before I arrived to Thailand was either re-scheduled or cancelled and I found that doing things at a leisurely pace and with less of a schedule made everything that much more enjoyable.

I'm now planning another trip to South-East Asia to travel around Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. This time I'm planning the things that I MUST do only and I'll work everything else around that.

 

[Renato1]

It depends what you mean by planning a trip.

For me, in the last four European trips and in the forthcoming trip, planning the places we were going to visit and how to fly or drive there, have taken somewhere between 20 minutes and half an hour - on two occasions during chats with chaps at Qantas when I was using FF points. That's the easy phase of planning the trip.

The hard part of planning for me is the hours then spent picking the hotels on Booking.com (and sometimes Hotelclub). How much does it cost? How far from the centre of town? How big are the rooms? What sort of reviews have Australians given it? Does it have car-parking and how much does it cost, when I'm driving there? What do people think of the breakfast?

Then having narrowed the hotels down to several feasible solutions, I bring my wife into the decision making process.

I spent many hours back in March picking seven hotels on Booking.com (after accepting three hotel offers from my travel agent). The worst town was Munich - no parking in the main part of town, but there was plenty of parking in the hundred hotels to the east of town. Only problem was that it turned out to be a sex district, with all the reviewers complaining about the noise and seedy looking types wandering around. and then stacks of otherwise good-looking hotels turned out to have rooms of only 14 or 16 square meters - way too small. So I booked a hotel out on the western side of town, with free parking, but requiring a train ride into town.

Unfortunately, one has to take Tripadvisor reviews with a pinch of salt, as it is not unknown for lousy hotels to pop some very positive reviews in there for themselves - something that can only happen on Booking.com if the reviewer actually books a room and pays for it.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Bindibuys]

Currently in planning mode for Sept/Oct/Nov 2016 (the usual 6 week break)
Flights booked the day they are released. So have to have some kind of plan for how many days in each country. Move things around a little bit when you find there is a public holiday etc which may affect travel.
Take notes from AFF about fabulous hotels, find out their prices, so that when it comes time to book accommodation at that location, I have some idea of prices and what is a sale saving Vs the rack rate.
Each country in its own folder, then when it is time to book, have notes on selection of where to stay, who does walking tours, which restaurants were recommended etc.

 

[drron]

Renato1 I do the same for hotels.A lot pick themselves as I am going for SPG lifetime plat.But some places there are no Starwoods or I know they are lousy.I do start off on Trip Advisor but never make a decision solely on reviews there.A good example was staying at the Samling hotel in the Lakes district.It had a few poor reviews mainly saying the manager was arrogant.In fact he and one of the waiters put on Fawlty Towers performances-He was a tall Englishman and the waiter was Portugese.It actually added to the experience.The negative reviewers were simply ignorant of British comedy.
As well on TA a high price brings out the negative reviews.Such was the case with the Manoir Inter Scaldes this trip.Yes it was expensive but we both loved the stay despite the fact BA had lost our bags.

 

[amaroo]

For hotels I use a range of sources to scout out possible contenders (Trivago, TA, SLH, Smiths, LHW, GSH), compare with hotel or brand webpage (recently found an excellent offer on SPG that wasn't offered via the hotel site) and book flexible if the price difference is low or I'm uncertain on destination or dates.

For expensive bookings I'll review prices leading up to checkin and take advantage of any price fluctuations that may occur. Have saved substantial money taking advantage of flexi bookings.

 

[JohnK]

Planning never stops even when trip is all booked.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I haven't read all the replies yet, so apologies if this has already been posted, but if for work....planning is minimal and pointed. If for holiday............I don't really plan so much as dream about it every minute of every day (and the planning just seems to happen during the dreams)!

 

[Renato1]

Renato1 I do the same for hotels.A lot pick themselves as I am going for SPG lifetime plat.But some places there are no Starwoods or I know they are lousy.I do start off on Trip Advisor but never make a decision solely on reviews there.A good example was staying at the Samling hotel in the Lakes district.It had a few poor reviews mainly saying the manager was arrogant.In fact he and one of the waiters put on Fawlty Towers performances-He was a tall Englishman and the waiter was Portugese.It actually added to the experience.The negative reviewers were simply ignorant of British comedy.
As well on TA a high price brings out the negative reviews.Such was the case with the Manoir Inter Scaldes this trip.Yes it was expensive but we both loved the stay despite the fact BA had lost our bags.

That's pretty amusing - getting negative reviews for what was effectively a humorous ambience.

One of my friends got stung really bad with the reasonable reviews on Tripadvisor of the Moon hotel in Singapore, that his travel agent somehow came up for him. My friend and his wife walked in, then after 15 minutes walked out in disgust. Had he read the Booking.com reviews of that hotel, he never would have gone there in the first place.
Regards,
Renato