Best Tips for Travelling During Peak Season 2025

Travelling during peak season can be challenging due to crowds, high prices, and limited availability of accommodations and attractions. However, with a few tips, some good travel advice, and good preparation, you can enjoy your vacation fully, even during this period, without breaking the bank, whether it’s for a short Labor Day getaway or an extended vacation.

First of all, the peak season, also known as the “tourist season,” refers to periods of the year when the number of travellers reaches its peak. This may be due to ideal weather conditions for visiting certain destinations, times of year when most people are on holiday (such as school breaks), or special events like cherry blossom season in Japan or summer in all destinations in the Northern Hemisphere.

These periods are characterized by high tourist numbers, higher prices for flights, accommodation and activities, and greater demand for tourism-related services. Indeed, if you’re planning to visit Tokyo in the middle of April, it’s very likely that the place will be packed with tourists and that your travel experience will be less enjoyable because of the crowds.

The start of the peak travel season varies depending on the destination and climate.

Here is an overview of peak season periods in different regions of the world:

On the other hand, the low season for flights corresponds to periods of the year when demand is generally lower, although the travel experience can still be just as enjoyable. During these periods, airlines often lower their prices to attract more passengers.

Here is an overview of low season periods for flights in different regions of the world:

Booking in advance is essential for a great travel experience in peak season, especially if you want to use points. Flights, hotels and popular activities fill up fast. By booking several months in advance, you will have access to a wider variety of options and can often benefit from better fares, especially if you use points. Even if you are facing uncertainty, keep in mind that you can book different types of fare classes.

Use a tool like Google Flights, Skyscanner or Roame to find the best airfares for your destination. You can also set up price alerts on these sites to be notified of fare drops. These flight comparators allow you to find the best deals and track price trends; the savings can be even more significant for families since you need more plane tickets, and they take up a good part of the budget.

Buy tickets for popular attractions in advance to avoid queues and last-minute fares. Sites like Civitatis and GetYourGuide offer guided tours for many tourist activities and provide the option to skip the lines.

If possible, be flexible with your travel dates when aiming for a vacation in peak tourist season. Travelling just before or after peak periods can save you money and avoid crowds. For example, going away on weekdays rather than weekends can often reduce costs. Leaving on a Thursday and returning on a Monday can be much more economical than leaving on Saturday morning and returning on Sunday evening. So it can sometimes be more economical to take a few extra days off to get better prices.

Alternatively, if you’re flexible when it comes to choosing your vacation, the periods just before or after high season, such as early June or late August, often offer a good compromise between good weather and more reasonable rates. You can also enjoy equally pleasant weather conditions without the inconvenience of large crowds.

Staying flexible with destinations is an excellent strategy for travelling during peak season. Indeed, a good travel tip is to consider visiting emerging destinations or lesser-known regions. For example, instead of Bali, explore Lombok or Flores in Indonesia, or South America instead of Europe.

So, to save on flights during peak season, an effective tip is to book flights to airports as gateways, then use low-cost airlines to reach your final destination. For example, instead of looking for a direct flight to an expensive tourist destination, book a flight to any major nearby hub, such as London, Paris or Singapore. These airports often benefit from competitive fares due to strong competition between airlines.

Make sure you plan enough time between your flights, as buying separate tickets can lead to headaches in the event of flight cancellations or delays.

Travelling with a carry-on bag in high season is another important tip to avoid the risk of lost luggage, save time and money, unless you have a credit card that gives you the advantage of a free checked bag. By keeping your personal belongings with you at all times, you eliminate the risk of your luggage getting lost between two connections. What’s more, you avoid the long waits at the carousel and the extra fees often charged by airlines for checked baggage.

To optimize your cabin baggage, choose a bag that respects the maximum dimensions allowed, and organize your belongings with compression bags. Wear your bulkiest clothes during the flight to save space. For advice on what to buy, the Milesopedia team has compiled a list of the team’s favourite travel accessories for you to peruse.

Travelling light will help you avoid many hassles, and you can also consider same-day standby options if the opportunity arises!

Planning, but above all, booking your activities in advance allows you to maximize your time and avoid disappointment. Some attractions require reservations weeks or even months in advance, especially in high season. Local guides can offer unique perspectives and help you avoid long queues. For families with young children, this is crucial to avoid crises, since children are not necessarily patient!

Also, don’t overlook hotel concierge services or credit cards, which can sometimes find you seats when a restaurant is already fully booked.

Even during peak season, there are times of day when attractions are less crowded. Getting up early or visiting sites at the end of the day is a travel tip to avoid the crowds.

Most tourists start visiting around 10 a.m., so arrive as soon as it opens. You’ll be able to enjoy the sights in a quieter, more pleasant atmosphere. Similarly, if you’re an early riser, you can have popular sites like Rome’s Trevi Fountain all to yourself!

Alternatively, lunchtime is another good option for visiting while most people are away eating. By planning your visits this way, you can avoid restaurant queues too!

Using credit card points and loyalty programs to save during peak season is an effective strategy to reduce travel costs. Loyalty programs and points-based credit cards can save you a lot of money. By earning points throughout the year by using your credit card for everyday purchases and choosing a card suited to your spending habits, you can quickly accumulate points for your travels. In fact, take advantage of major family expenses to earn a lot of points!

These points can be used to book flights and hotels to help offset the high cost of travelling during peak season. For example, you can use the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card and Scene+ points to earn and redeem points on your trip through Scene+ Travel powered by Expedia. This card will also be your ally while travelling, as you will never have to pay the usual 2.5% foreign currency conversion fees.

Sometimes, it is possible to find flight tickets at a “fixed” points price, while the cash price fluctuates according to supply and demand. Booking in advance, sometimes up to a year ahead, is an important travel tip for peak periods such as spring break, summer holidays, or the holiday season.

However, don’t be discouraged if you’re in a last-minute rush. It’s often possible to find tickets at rock-bottom prices in points less than two weeks before departure, as some partners release their unsold seats at that time. Roame is a particularly good ally in this respect, as you can also create alerts to be notified of these openings.

In addition, taking advantage of welcome offers from credit card issuers and maximizing your points accumulation on everyday spending is also important. The best current offers are as follows:

Travelling in high season presents unique challenges, but with the right preparation and a few tips, you can make the most of your stay, wherever you are in the world. Book early, be flexible, and explore lesser-known destinations! Don’t forget to use travel credit card points to maximize your savings!