Summary

  • Book last-minute for great deals on all-inclusive vacations. 4 in 10 travelers book within two weeks of departure.
  • September is the cheapest month to book all-inclusive hotels in Cancun, Mexico.
  • November and October are the cheapest times to book all-inclusive resorts in North America, but be aware of potential weather drawbacks.

When the snow and slush keep piling up and leaving the house to grab a coffee feels like too much effort, it might be time for a beach getaway at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico or one of the best-rated all-inclusive resorts in the Bahamas. Since all-inclusive resorts give travelers a package including the flight, food, and hotel, it's a really easy way to travel as you don't have to spend hours on your computer looking up restaurants and other places that are close to a hotel.

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While there's never going to be a bad time to head on a beach vacation, there are times of the year that will give you the best deal possible, along with some helpful things to keep in mind. Keep reading to find out the cheapest times to book an all-inclusive vacation.

UPDATE: 2024/01/21 17:10 EST BY AARON SPRAY

More Information About When To Book The Cheapest All-Inclusive Resort

There is a lot to know about booking the cheapest all-inclusive resort and what is true of one region can be different for another. Flights, the season, and the weather are just some of the considerations. This article was updated and expanded with more tips on when to book the cheapest all-inclusive resort.

Book Right Before You Want To Go

Get last-minute flash sales by being ready to book on a whim

Four Seasons Bora Bora resort.
Shutterstock 
Four Seasons Bora Bora floating resort.

When you want to know the most affordable time of year to book an all-inclusive, you should book right before you want to go. There are "some terrific last-minute deals" if you can be spontaneous about when you'd like to go on your trip.

This is an interesting idea because, on the one hand, many people enjoy booking a trip months in advance, so they can look forward to it. But deciding to hop on a plane a few days after booking an all-inclusive could be exciting... and if it lands you a great deal, even better.

  • Tip: Book At The Last Minute

One ad agency did some research and discovered that 44% of people went on vacation without much prior planning. They looked at 888 travelers who went away in the past year, and of those, "4 in 10 travelers plan and book their vacations within two weeks of departure."

A view of La Perouse bay on Maui Island, Hawaii, USA
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A view of La Perouse bay on Maui Island, Hawaii, USA

That's good to know, and since there are a lot of people who are fine with traveling this way, there seems to be no downside to booking an all-inclusive about a week or two before going there. Just maybe give your boss a heads-up about the general period that you're planning on going away.

Heading To Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula? September Is A Cheap Month

All-inclusive hotels are generally much cheaper in Mexico than even the more affordable all-inclusive resorts in the United States. Cheap Flights suggests booking a flight to Mexico in September as this is going to be the month that costs you the least.

September weather is really nice in Cancun, Mexico. While there will be some rain, there is also a lot of heat, and it still feels like summer — and Cancun is full of luxurious all-inclusive resorts.

  • Booking Mexican all-inclusive hotels in Cancun during September is the cheapest time to do so.
Overhead Shot of the PLaya del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Photo by Jorge Fernández Salas on Unsplash
An overhead shot of the Playa del Carmen in Cancun, Mexico

Since there are so many amazing all-inclusive resorts in Mexico's Yucatán region, this would be easy to do, and you get a wonderful stay at a resort and save some cash, too.

Try Flamingo Cancun Resort which has a place at the resort to get coffee, entertainment at night, free Wi-Fi, and is considered to be family-friendly. There are many restaurants at this resort, which are convenient and awesome.

Flamingo Cancun Resort:

  • Price: From $270 per night
  • Rating: 3.8 Stars
  • Address: Blvd. Kukulcan km 11.5, Punta Cancun, Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico

One particularly cool one is Don Roberto's Bar and Pizza, as you can order some pizza and sit by the pool to enjoy it.

Mexico's Cabo San Lucas Cheapest Season Is In The Summer Months

The summer months offer the best time to find the cheapest all-inclusive hotels in Cabo San Lucas.

The two top destinations in Mexico for all-inclusive hotels are the Yucatán Peninsula in the south and Cabo San Lucas in Baja California. The large number of European and Mexican tourists in the Yucatán Peninsula during the summer creates a middle summer season.

Cabo San Lucas's off-season is during the summer. The cheapest month to fly and book an all-inclusive resort in Cabo San Lucas is between July and September.

  • Cheapest Months: July, August, September

One way to get the cheapest all-inclusive resort is by signing up for resorts' newsletters and getting exclusive information about upcoming sales and deals.

Summer is a quiet time in Cabo for a couple of reasons. One is that many people fly to Mexico in the winter to escape the cold of winter and the other reason is that Cabo is hot in the summer. The good news is that as Cabo is a seaside destination, there are plenty of ways to keep cool. An added benefit is that Cabo's beaches are less crowded during this time.

The top-rated TripAdvisor hotel for best value for all-inclusive in Cabo is the five-star Sandos Finisterra. Sandos Finisterra is just one of the many almost-perfect all-inclusive resorts in Cabo San Lucas.

Sandos Finisterra:

  • Price: From $230 per night
  • Rating: 4.7
  • Address: V3GQ+HW Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico
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The Best Timing Depends On Where In The World You Want To Go

The cheapest times to book all-inclusive hotels and the off-seasons vary around the world

The world is a big place, and the cheapest time really depends on where one is planning to go. It is always off-season somewhere. The Northern and Southern Hemispheres are opposite, so when it's summer in one hemisphere, it is winter in the other. Spring in one hemisphere means autumn in the other.

  • Seasons: Differ Around The World

Additionally, the rainy season is normally the off-season (and so cheaper) in resorts, for example. The rainy season is from mid-November through to early March in Hawaii, while the rainy season is from June through to November in Vietnam (which is famous for its stunning beaches at Pho Quoc and Da Nang).

Pura Ulun Danu Brata Pura Bratan Temple in Bali, Indonesia
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Pura Ulun Danu Brata Pura Bratan Temple in Bali, Indonesia, the temple on the lake in Bali

Travelers should consider if the drawbacks (e.g., bad weather, murky seas, winds, cold weather, etc.) are worth the money saved or not. But if a deal is all one is looking for, then cast one's net wide enough, and there are always countless super all-inclusive deals to enjoy.

There are plenty of stunning places to consider for an all-inclusive holiday outside of North America, Thailand, Bali, Vietnam, Zanzibar, Egypt, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, to name but a few.

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Book In November And October As It's Much Cheaper

Beat the snowbirds and book the all-inclusive resort and flights before the winter

As the months start creeping toward December, the weather is pretty chilly in many North American cities and towns, and nothing sounds lovelier than an all-inclusive resort. And while traveling at Christmas can really rack up the crowds and the costs, the months just before it can result in some good deals.

  • Cheap Time: November & October In North America

Booking an all-inclusive resort during November and October is much cheaper because this is the "off-season."

Beach on Marshall Islands
Photo by Kurt Cotoaga on Unsplash
Beach on Marshall Islands

Of course, there is both a pro and a con to booking some time at an all-inclusive resort during this time. While you will save money, if it's not "peak season," then maybe the weather won't be quite as nice. However, if you're someone who travels a lot or would like to take two all-inclusive vacations in one year, going at a cheaper time of year will make a lot of sense.

When you're wondering about the cheapest time to book an all-inclusive, these are some ways to get an amazing deal: book right before you want to go, think about going to Mexico in September, and book your trip in November or October.

With these pieces of advice, you'll be lying in the sun in no time, and you'll be smiling even more, knowing that you saved a good amount of money.

The Catch About Cheap All-Inclusive Deals During The Fall

Flights to the Caribbean are cheaper during the hurricane season

While October and November — the fall months — may be the cheapest time of the year to enjoy an all-inclusive package in the Caribbean, it is also hurricane season. It is important to understand some things about hurricane season in the Bahamas and other Caribbean destinations.

Hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30 in the Caribbean (although they can occur at other times of the year as well). The peak time in this period is from mid-August to early October. So November is both a time of cheap all-inclusive holiday packages and diminished hurricane risk.

  • Hurricane Season: June 1 to November 30 (Caribbean)

One piece of good news is that those looking for cheap last-minute deals can also check the extended weather forecast and any upcoming hurricane warnings before booking.

Beach in St Lucia
Shutterstock
Beach in St Lucia, Caribbean Islands

While it seems every season, some Caribbean islands get in the news for devastating hurricanes, not all of them are particularly affected by hurricanes. Holidaymakers can relax somewhat about going to Cancun during the hurricane season.

Cancun doesn't often have hurricanes, so it's not a big thing to worry about. The ABC islands: Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, are known to be sheltered from hurricanes. Curaçao (along with the other islands) has excellent resorts to stay at.

Flights May Be Included In Your Booking

Some all-inclusive deals bundle flights into the resort package

One thing to keep in mind when booking an all-inclusive resort is that some agencies, hotels, and websites include flights in the total booking fee. For example, it could be a good idea to find a deal where the flight and hotel are a package deal, adding to the already all-inclusive experience.

Look for a package option for a hotel and see if flights and transportation from the airport are included. Luckily, most all-inclusive hotels will run shuttles to and from the airport, so if people can get a flight as well, that takes care of a large part of the trip.

  • Vacationers may want to book all-inclusive hotels with flight packages.
American Airlines Flight Take Off
Image via Pilot Go on Pixabay
American Airlines Flight Take Off

Technically, an all-inclusive vacation will include the cost of traveling to the destination, so, by definition, that's what this should be. Of course, all-inclusive hotels take on a different booking policy sometimes, with airfare not coming with the cost of the hotel stay.

JetBlue Vacations is one company that offers hotels and flights in one package deal, including various all-inclusive properties. That can make the decision process easier when traveling abroad, where flights are already astronomical.

Example Expedia All-Inclusive Package (listed January 2024):

  • Resort: Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun
  • Duration: 4 nights
  • Includes: All-inclusive (and flights from Atlanta)
  • Price: $1,157 per person
  • Date: Feb 20-24

As mentioned above, booking flights and all-inclusive resorts during less busy or off-season can help save money, although there may be a hurricane looming. Instead, try and find a deal where everything is tied into one cost-effective package (or lavish, depending on the budget), as this should make budgeting for the trip easier.