Whilst one of the best ways to save money on flights is to plan ahead, we understand that you don’t always have the luxury of advance notice. This is why we have compiled a list of tips to help you find cheap last-minute flights, whether you’re travelling for a family emergency, a short notice business trip or even just a spontaneous getaway with your significant other.
- Use a Flight Map
Google Flights and Skyscanner both have handy map tools that can help you to find the cheapest flight. If your destination is set, use the map to compare fares at nearby airports. It might be cheaper to fly into a location a few hours away and rent a car to go the rest of the way. If your destination is open-ended, use the map to pick the most economical location. Google Maps will even show you potential destinations.
- Call the Airline
A handful of airlines still offer bereavement fares, which could help you to take the sting out of last-minute travel for a funeral. To get the discount, you will need to book by phone and typically need to be travelling within the next 7 to 14 days. Be prepared, however, to provide the name of the relative and the contact details of their doctor or the funeral home so that they airline can verify your claims.
- Fly at Undesirable Times
Red-eye flights or those leaving at the crack of dawn tend to have unfilled seats and will often be less expensive than midday flights. In fact, you will often find that midday flights have very few unfilled seats and are difficult to get onto last-minute. Whilst we’re sure that you’d love to sleep in an actual bed or get up when the sun has well and truly risen, you cannot be this picky when hunting for a bargain.
- Tap your Rewards
If you can’t find an affordable fare and cannot simply skip the trip for whatever reason, you should consider redeeming credit card rewards or airline miles to subsidise the cost. Many people like to work out the value of using their rewards for a given flight, as it could actually work out that you’re better off using cash instead. You can use this formula – (ticket price – taxes and fees) ÷ rewards cost.
- Follow your Favourite Airlines
Did you know that several airlines around the world actually post last-minute deals on their Twitter accounts? This can be a great way to stay abreast of any deals or discounts, as the airlines may not even post them elsewhere (such as their websites or even make their sales staff aware of them). Just be aware that you may have to jump on these deals quickly – they’re often only valid for a few people.
If you have a last minute flight crop up sometime in the near future, we hope that the above tips have given you plenty of ideas on how to save some money. Let’s face it – flights can be expensive at the best of times, but they can be exorbitant when you need to fly last-minute. No matter the reason for your travels, keep in mind that it is possible to save some cash.
