As you plan your next vacation these How to Save on Last Minute Flights are a must on your planning lists. Make sure that you are getting the best deals you possibly can, but most importantly if you have a last minute flight you are able to find an even better deal than expected. Traveling for last minute events can be stressful enough. You don’t want to add drastic expenses to the mix.
How to Save on Last Minute Flights
Take the inconvenient flight times. One of the easiest ways to save on last minute flights is to look at the least savory flight times. These are usually the “red-eye” flights or those that take off before 7 am. If you don’t mind flying late night or early morning hours, you can save upwards of $150 per ticket with many airlines. Even the last minute flights will have these better prices available.
Name your price. There is much to be said about Priceline and the offer to name your price. Do a bit of comparison research from various airline websites directly, then go to Priceline and name your price. Be reasonable. You can’t name your price to be $35 a flight and expect to receive it. You can however undercut what the lowest price airline is offering by $50-$150 easily. Just remember that once you have put that bid in, if they accept it you have sealed the deal on what flight you will be taking.
Call to book instead of using an online service. There is a ton of information on flights online, but sometimes you have to go old school and pick up the phone to call and book directly. You can actually let your preferred airline know the price their competitor is offering. Many times they will match prices, or offer it even lower. Especially on those less than savory flight times as mentioned before. Those are the flights most likely to have open seats.
Contact a travel agent. Did you realize that travel agents can book a single flight for you? Travel agents aren’t just for booking big vacations at resorts. They do tons of booking, and for great customers they can even offer discounted rates. Always check with your local travel agent before booking your flight.
Call your credit card company. We don’t like to encourage credit card use if it will put you into debt, but when your account may offer rewards on purchases, those last minute flight costs can be circumvented easily when you contact your credit card company to cash in rewards points. They may also have special deals when purchasing directly through them.
Whether your trip is a family emergency, business trip, or unexpected vacation, you can easily save money on last minute flights if you follow these tips. Also make sure to check in with your friends and family to see if you can buy rewards points from them toward flights. Many airlines like Southwest will allow you to transfer rewards points from one individual to another for a small fee.
More Tips for Traveling on a Budget:
- 10 Ways to Save Money on Airfare
- How to Plan a Staycation
- How to Find Deals on Hotel Rooms
- Tips for Saving Money on Your Vacation
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