The Rise of Last-Minute Bookings

Don't panic and start discounting just yet. Travelers may be booking later in the process, but are showing a willingness to pay higher rates closer to arrival.

Cautious consumer sentiment is leading travelers to delay bookings, and that's usually a scary sign. But overall travel activity is holding up: The latest Skift Travel Health Index shows global travel rose 3% year-over-year in the first half of 2025.

The late-booking trend is most noticeable in the U.S., where 40% of hotel bookings in June were made within seven days of arrival. Globally, hotel bookings made within seven days of arrival now account for 21% of total reservations, up from 18% in 2019.

A deeper analysis of hotel occupancy "build-up cur