How Russians Book Their Getaways: Summer Plans Made Early, Spontaneous Trips for Solo Travelers

When it comes to vacation planning, Russians have a seasonal strategy. A new study from travel service Tutu reveals that summer holidays are booked well in advance, while trips during winter, spring, and fall tend to be reserved closer to departure. During the summer, the average planning window stretches to 19–20 days or more, compared to just 12–15 days the rest of the year. Air travel remains the most predictable sector: the booking lead time has held steady at 15–16 days before departure for the past five years. For train tickets and hotel reservations, however, the window has widened from 8–10 days to about 15 days. Emil Ziyadinov, Tutu’s director of partner network development, notes that a significant share of tickets are still bought at the last minute. “But we’re seeing growing interest in earlier planning, especially for train travel,” he adds. Solo travelers are the most spontaneous. They purchase 26–29 percent of plane tickets and 26–33 percent of train tickets just one to two days before their trip. Families with children, by contrast, are the least likely to book on a whim. They account for the highest share of hotel reservations made three months or more in advance.