last minute airfare
There are a number of reasons why a person would want or need to get on a plane at the last minute. Perhaps you received a job offer that requires you to travel for an interview. Maybe he found out about a family emergency… across the country. Maybe you just decided you wanted a weekend getaway… this afternoon. Whatever your reason for wanting to get on a plane as soon as possible, here’s what you need to know about last-minute airfares.
One of the best ways to save money on last-minute airfare is to be as flexible as possible. Try not to get hung up on the idea of a certain airline or a certain flight time or even a particular airport (unless there isn’t another airport within a few hours’ drive). Allow yourself to be flexible about the number of layovers you have and the amount of time it will take to get where you want to go. The more flexible you can be, the more likely it is that you can snatch that last unreserved seat from you.
You will also want to become a regular visitor to web-based travel services. Often when an airline is desperate to fill a flight, they will post last minute “web only” airfares that are usually offered at huge discounts. If the web-based travel services you frequent offer an alert subscription, you need to sign up for it. Sometimes these last minute “web only” deals are extended to people who have signed up to be alerted about such things before they are released to the general public. Of course, these last-minute airfares usually have a couple of pitfalls. These web fare tickets are generally non-refundable and often require a Saturday stay. The best time to search for these web fares is in the middle of the week for the following weekend’s travel.
Of course, you won’t always be able to be “lazy” about your travel arrangements. If you are traveling for business or a family emergency, you generally just want to get to your destination as soon as possible. The first place to look for last-minute airfare deals in an emergency is the airlines’ websites. Usually, the number of remaining seats that have yet to be sold for a particular flight are listed only on the company’s websites. One tip is to try to book your ticket online first. While you may be tempted to take a chance and just run to the airport and catch the first flight you can catch; chances are high that you will be charged exorbitant fees. However, if you take a few minutes at home, airlines will usually offer deals via their websites.
Whatever the reason you want or need last-minute airfare, the best place to look is the Internet. The Internet is the best bet if you are looking for discounts or reduced prices.
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