Millions of Germans have already made their bookings for the summer holidays of 2026, seeking the most affordable prices. Last-minute bookings are declining significantly. Read the DW report below
Travel and holidays remain Germans favorite pastime, for which they are willing to dig deep into their pockets. On one condition, however: that they first carry out thorough market research in order to identify the best value-for-money offers.
In recent years, more than 55 million Germans have taken holidays away from their place of residence. In 2025, average spending in Germany on summer holidays reached 1,500, a record amount. In 2026, new records may be seen, at least in terms of the number of holidaymakers.
As Boris Raoul, a representative of Dertour, tells German broadcaster WDR, already in December 2025 bookings for the following summer were not only higher, but recorded a very significant increase of 18%.
Is early booking worthwhile?
So-called early booking, i.e. making a reservation as early as possible and certainly well before the summer, generally offers better prices. For exactly how long? There is no legally binding deadline. According to WDR, however, early booking discounts for summer 2026 can reach up to 50% and may apply even until February, depending on the tour operator.
As Kerstin Heim, spokesperson for the German Travel Association (DRV), points out, sector turnover is driven mainly by cruises (in the Mediterranean as well as Northern Europe), as well as long-haul, exotic trips. This trend is expected to continue in 2026.
This is precisely where early bookings are also increasing. Under normal conditions, a Caribbean cruise for four people costs more than 15,000, if flights to the port of departure are also taken into account.
Why not last minute?
Of course, there is no explicit guarantee that a travel package booked in February at a low price will not later be offered at an even lower price, for example as a last minute deal.
In general, however, experts note that the last-minute strategy is declining. Gone are the days when many Germans would go to the airport with their luggage without having chosen a destination, compare prices on the spot and spontaneously pick whatever seemed most attractive. This is due to the fact that more dynamic and flexible pricing models are now applied, in order to avoid an oversupply of hotel beds or airline seats.
In addition, departures from Germany are particularly expensive due to high taxation. As Condor spokesperson Daniel de Carvalho explains to ARD, a departure from Frankfurt costs us almost 5,000, while the corresponding cost in Austria averages 3,785 and in Istanbul just 522.
Republished from DW | Sources: ARD, WDR, dpa
Giannis Papadimitriou
