Have you ever taken a last-minute vacation? Oftentimes we plan trips long in advance, trying to take advantage of the best deals and get everything locked in. Sometimes though, it’s nice to be a little more spontaneous and book a trip only a few weeks or even days in advance. If you want to book a last-minute getaway and secure yourself the best deal, here’s how!
Be Flexible
If you want the best deal with a last-minute vacation, the real secret is approaching it with flexibility. last-minute options can be limited, so if you’ve got your heart set on a specific destination or set of dates you might not find what you’re looking for.
That doesn’t mean you can’t find a sweet, sweet deal though! The first thing is being open to different destinations. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to visit Barcelona, but there are no cheap flights for your required dates. Cast the net a little wider and discover another Spanish city like Valencia or Malaga, both coastal cities packed with charm, and you may find a more suitable option.
The best thing about approaching this kind of adventure with an open mind is that you may end up discovering somewhere totally amazing that you never would’ve otherwise considered!
Check Google Flights
When booking your last-minute getaway, we can’t recommend enough using a tool like Google Flights. It’s an easy-to-use platform that will show you flights from multiple airlines across many different routes. It’s worth noting that not every airline will appear in your searches, but you will be offered an abundance of options.
Google Flights has a built-in calendar view, making it easy to visualize the cheapest days to fly and plan accordingly. It also has a neat little map feature, so you can explore the globe and see the price of destinations by hovering over them.
A feature we love on Google Flights is the carbon footprint checker, so you can make a conscious choice about your impact when choosing which route to take.
Finally, if you’re really open to an adventure, take advantage of the ‘anywhere’ feature. This is the price-checked equivalent of throwing a dart at a map and seeing where it lands. This can really help to narrow down your decision and release your inner ‘oooh I’ve always wanted to go to Florence’ moment!
Use alternative routes and airports
Another thing to consider when securing a last-minute vacation deal is having flexibility with routes and airports.
If you’re not in a rush to get to your destination, consider a less direct route that may involve a layover—these are often cheaper and might even give you the chance to explore another city en route.
Also, remember that many destinations have more than one airport. In fact, New York has seven airports, London has six, and California has five! By flying to a smaller airport or one slightly further out of the city, you could get a significantly better deal. Sure, it may mean factoring in a little more travel time, but it might end up securing you a sweet little last-minute getaway at a great price.
Don’t travel on a Saturday
It goes without saying that the most popular days to fly are the weekend, ultimately making Friday to Sunday the most expensive time to fly, too. On top of that, they are the busiest days meaning a higher likelihood of delays or overbooked flights, not exactly the most stress-free way to start a vacation!
Instead, Tuesday and Wednesday are typically the cheapest days to fly, so if you’re on vacation for a week consider starting and ending your trip mid-week.
Use last-minute Accommodation Apps
So, you’ve booked your flights, but now you’ll need somewhere to stay on your last-minute getaway. Luckily, there are plenty of great apps out there that can help you secure last-minute accommodation that’s both great quality and affordable.
The first is HotelTonight, operating in over 35 countries to offer last-minute accommodation, featuring an in-app chat function that can find you things to do and places to eat in the area, with an added community feature too.
HotelQuickly boasts over 20,000 hotels geared towards flexible travelers with low price guarantees and the option to book a room less than 24 hours before your arrival.
There are plenty more options out there, reminding you that booking months in advance doesn’t always guarantee the best deal. Having the flexibility to book last-minute whilst not paying through the roof gives you much more freedom on where you’re heading.
Try price tracking tools
If you’re looking to book flights for a trip but are unsure of the best time to book, a price tracker is exactly what you need. They work by monitoring the prices of flights, which fluctuate throughout the day, week, and month. It’s a common misconception that the closer to a flight you get, the more expensive it gets. While this can sometimes be true, flight prices can and do drop seemingly randomly, usually as a result of low demand.
It’s super easy to set up a price alert on websites such as Google Flights or Skyscanner, which will notify you the second there’s a drop in the average price of the flights you’ve been monitoring. If you’re open to different destinations, setting an alert on several different flights can basically make the decision for you. The second a flight becomes cheap it’s full speed ahead to your last-minute getaway!
Long story short…
With an open mind and flexible approach, a last-minute vacation deal can be rustled up quickly, easily, and often at no higher cost than booking well ahead of time. Who knows where your next last-minute vacay may take you?
Written by Alex Callahan
