One of the best ways to save money on travel is to plan as far in advance as possible. However, sometimes a last-minute deal will be even better, as airlines and hotels struggle to get a full reservation. Just to make sure those seats don’t go empty, an airline will slash the cost of airfare at the last minute. A hotel will do the same to fill all the rooms. If you’re on a budget, you may want to look for last-minute vacation deals.
Sometimes you can get a last-minute deal on a vacation package that includes airfare and a hotel room, depending on the time of year and location. If your destination is already set in stone, use maps and tools to help you compare fares at all of the airports near the city, not just the main one.
You can make your search for travel deals as flexible or as specific as you like. If you’re not picky, just browse all the current offers to find out what’s available.
If you don’t mind flying at undesirable times, you can get a special airfare discount. Night flights are almost always cheaper, as they tend to have more empty seats than midday flights. The day you travel also influences the cost of airfare, as the cheapest days to fly are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Some travel aggregation sites offer a list of last-minute hotel and airfare deals that you can easily review by searching for brands, prices, cities, airlines, dates, etc. Another easy way to keep up with the latest last minute flight deals is to follow the official Twitter accounts of the various airlines. They will tweet the deals as soon as the prices drop.
Airfare and Cruise Considerations with Last Minute Vacation Deals
If airfare isn’t a concern for you and you’re primarily interested in booking a cheap hotel room, there are always one or two hotels in each city that offer a last-minute discount.
Cruise lines are also known for their last-minute vacation deals, as they don’t want ships embarking on a voyage less than full capacity. Depending on the season, cruise line, and number of nights, you can save more than 50% on a cruise.
Be sure to use apps that notify you of all the last-minute vacation deals on a daily or weekly basis. You can even set the details and send the alerts directly to your phone.
The best place by far to find last minute vacation deals is online. This leading travel deals site helps you find everything from daily deals to discounted luxury vacations. There are a variety of search tools, apps, and mobile coupons offered online.