Everyone likes to think that they are a very smart traveler. People like to consider themselves pros when it comes to booking everything from hotels, to airfare, to rental cars. However, even the most up to date person still needs a refresher course from time to time. That is why experts have gotten together and pointed out some of the most common travel booking mistakes that people do.

One of the most common mistakes is booking too soon. A lot of people, when it comes to making travel reservations, book too soon. However, experts have to clear up this point. When it comes to peak seasons and special events, there is no such thing as booking too early. However, for a standard vacation and weekend getaway, booking in advance, which is three months or more, may give travelers a bad price.

It’s normally a good rule of thumb, or so experts say, to book vacations six to eight weeks before the travel date. This should give travelers the best idea of what they should expect to pay for the trip. However, experts do point out that another mistake that people make is booking too late. There is a very fine line of when the perfect time to buy is.

A long time ago, when discounts were plentiful, booking late was the thing to do. However, with capacity cuts and airline tensions rising, last minute price deals are slowing becoming a thing of the past. By booking too late people run the risk of not getting the rental car they need or the airfare that they really want.