December is the busiest month on our calendar at 10.5% of all requested dates, October is second at 10.2%, and January is the quietest at 5.5%. For most occasions the peak is somewhere else entirely.
The national curve hides the real story, which is that every occasion has its own two-month peak. Prom takes two thirds of its year in April and May. Graduations take three quarters of theirs in May and June. Homecoming takes 90% in September and October. Here is the whole calendar.
The national curve
| Quarter | Share of dates | Median quote in the quarter |
|---|---|---|
| October–December | 29% | about $1,530 (Q4 not separately published) |
| April–June | 27% | $1,750 |
| July–September | 25% | $1,530 |
| January–March | 19% | $1,530 |
Peak months by occasion
| Occasion | Peak months | Share of the occasion |
|---|---|---|
| Homecoming | October, September | 90% |
| Graduations | May, June | 76% |
| Prom | April, May | 67% |
| Corporate | December, September | 36% |
| Concerts | August, July | 36% |
| Celebrations | December, October | 33% |
| Game-day trips | October, September | 33% |
| Weddings | September, August | 29% |
| Bachelor parties | August, May | 29% |
| Quinceañeras | April, September | 29% |
| Nights out | December, October | 27% |
| Bachelorette parties | April, March | 26% |
| Winery and brewery tours | August, May | 24% |
| Birthdays | November, February | 19% |
Three things to do with the calendar
If you are booking prom, book in February. April and May carry 67% of prom dates, prom groups book a median 26 days out, and 44.4% of them want six hours or more. That is the tightest combination of volume, lateness and length in the dataset.
If you are booking a wedding shuttle for September, you are competing with August. Together those two months hold 29% of wedding dates, and wedding groups already book 98–99 days ahead. A September Saturday needs a spring enquiry.
If you can choose, choose January. 5.5% of the year's dates, the lowest quarterly median quote, and the widest choice of vehicle. Birthdays, which peak in November and February, are the one occasion that has already discovered this.
Price your date with the people who wrote these quotes
One written, all-inclusive number for your date, hours and stops. Our own vehicles, our own chauffeurs.
