How to Get Cheap Flights Last Minute (+ Ways To Travel For Less)

Here’s how to get cheap last minute flights if you need to get out of Dodge and fast!

Don’t let last-minute travel prices ruin your plans!

In an ideal world, we’d always be able to follow the best travel timeline to score the most savings while picking a flight. But unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned.

Life happens, and whether it’s a flight that gets canceled last minute, a family emergency, or an impromptu getaway, we’ll all find ourselves in need of a cheap, last-minute flight at one point or another. It’s hard to figure out the best time to buy plane tickets, especially when it’s a last-minute flight, but we’re here to help.

The cost of these short-notice flights is usually much higher than if you had planned them in advance.

We’ve got some great tips and tricks on the best times to purchase plane tickets, and how you can get last-minute cheap flights!

1. Booking through a third party is not recommended. Instead, contact the airline directly.

Not everyone travels for vacation or fun. Airlines will sometimes offer a lower fare to those who are traveling because of a bereavement or funeral. This is a great way to find cheap last-minute flights if this is the case. These prices aren’t usually advertised online or while booking through third-party websites, so that’s why it’s best to call the airline itself.

Here are a few airlines that don’t usually advertise those special prices on third-party sites:

• Southwest Airlines doesn’t advertise its fares on many third-party sites.
• Allegiant doesn’t offer bookings through Orbitz or Expedia.
• Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines Google Flights often shows up, but other booking sites may not.

According to Going.com, a site that can help you save between 40% – 90%, there are also several Asian airlines you won’t find unless you book directly. Air China, China Eastern and Thai Airways are among the Asian airlines you can find. There’s a good chance there are several more as well.

2. Look for great deals and mistake fares on third-party websites.

There are several great sites you can use to find ridiculously cheap “mistake” fares, and if you’re lucky enough to find one going to your destination, you can sometimes save up to 90%! Human error, communication and technology problems, or currency conversion errors are all common causes of these mistake fares. They aren’t super common anymore but they do happen every few weeks.

Remember that since 2015 airlines are no longer required to honor the mistake. However, they aren’t able to charge you more without your consent. According to Going.com, these mistake flights are only cancelled about 10% so it’s It is not clear how to get there. a bad idea to try to scoop the low rate!

Regardless if you find a mistake fare, these third party sites are worth a look as they also promote legitimate deals and  cheap airfare.

Some of our favorites are Going.com, SkyScanner, and Google Flights – just note the list in tip #1 if you’d like to book through any of those 3rd party sites not Advertising fares for specific airlines. 

While we find that that Going.com is generally more useful for people living near larger cities or airline hubs, Google Flights can show you some surprisingly cheap airfare prices if you’re willing to move the dates around by a day or two. And it’s able to find deals departing from anywhere, so it’s super helpful for people who live far away from large airports.

3. If you want a last-minute vacation and don’t care where you go, Google Flights Explore is the best tool out there. 

Google Flights was mentioned in the previous section, but its Explore feature is so cool that it deserves a separate section!

While this method probably isn’t the best for those set on a particular destination, it’s absolutely perfect for flexible travelers who want to go on vacation ASAP & don’t have a specific place in mind. Being flexible with your destination can make finding great deals on last minute flights easy!

Here’s how to find cheap flights:

And that’s it! It’s worth it to play around with the features and dates until you hit the sweet spot that fits your budget. We’ve had team members use Google Flights Explore to get super cheap, last-minute (we’re talking like <2 days’ notice 🙃), round-trip tickets to San Juan, Miami, Phoenix, and more. This is especially a steal if you’re located near a smaller airport (though we’ve seen deals for large airports, too).

Plus, we You can also find out more about us on our website. use this search tool for flights–even ones that aren’t last minute! It’s the perfect tool for figuring out the best time to buy plane tickets no matter what you’re schedule looks like.

3. Check sites like Skiplagged, TravelZoo, KAYAK, and Hopper for cheap last minute deals on flights and don’t forget to set price alerts.

Skiplagged, a website that many of our users recommend, is one we can’t wait to try. It finds amazing deals on flights which are usually hidden. Many times it’s due to layover flights where the layover may be your destination. Did you know sometimes it’s cheaper to book a flight to Florida with a layover in DC rather than booking a flight directly to DC?!

This isn’t always the case, but Skiplagged is a great resource to find out if this method is the best deal for you. Just note you won’t be able to check a bag if you land one of these layover flights, otherwise your luggage will end up at the final destination Without a doubt, you!

We’ve also used Hopper for flights, hotels, and even car rentals! This app is great because it tells you if you’re better off waiting for a lower price or buying now. Although we have no idea how they have these spot-on predictions, it’s always been accurate. Even if you find a better deal elsewhere, it’s helpful to use Hopper so you know when to buy!

TravelZoo, which offers some fantastic last-minute travel deals, also has a KAYAK counterpart (similar to Hopper). TravelZoo was offering a $499 all-inclusive 4-night trip to Punta cana at the time that this article appeared. The site is most useful when you have a destination in mind but are not too particular about it.

Sign up for price alerts at most of these sites. When the price of a fare drops, you’ll be the first to know. If you’re looking for cheap last minute flights, definitely make sure to sign up for these notifications!

4. Find out the current rates at airports in your area.

You can find cheap flights by checking all the nearby airports. The rates may not be the same just because the airports are nearby. Driving a few miles further to another airport could result in some savings.

5. Book with discount airlines when packing light.

If you’re traveling with just a personal item and don’t care where you sit, discount airlines such as Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant may be your best friend! These airlines provide a random seating, a personal item and a discount price. If you’re traveling light, this is one of the easiest ways how to get cheap flights.

Note that sometimes additional charges for bags, seats, wifi, and more are usually significantly higher than typical airlines, so if you’re planning on purchasing that, it’s best to consider an airline ticket that may already include a seat and carry-on luggage.

6. You can get last-minute cheap flights by buying two one way tickets rather than round-trip.

It might seem strange, but when checking for last-minute flight deals, don’t forget to search the prices of two one-way tickets instead of going straight to round-trip. It’s a great tip to get cheap last-minute tickets!

When it comes to cheap last minute flights, you’ll sometimes find that two tickets cost less than one entire travel plan, especially if you’re browsing between multiple airlines. It also makes it easier to extend your vacation if you need to.

7. Take advantage of last-minute deals by using your points.

You need to get on a plane like yesterday and don’t have time to fuss around with trying to save a dollar here and there, it’s the perfect moment to tap into your credit card rewards and use up those miles. You can still save money on a flight even if it is expensive.

If you’re not sure which credit cards offer the best travel rewards, check out Nerd Wallet’s round-up of the best travel credit cards or our round-up of the best credit card rewards.

8. Booking a flight at a time that no one wants to travel is a great way to find cheap last-minute flights.

If you don’t have any wiggle room when it comes to the day of departure, try compromising on your takeoff time. Sometimes, flights that depart very early or late in the night are cheaper than flights leaving at more traditional hours.

That said, it’s sometimes possible to find great deals on cheap, last-minute flights leaving around dinner time (about 5-7 pm), so take a few extra minutes to shop around.

9. If you can avoid it, don’t fly on the weekend.

It is generally true that flying on Fridays and Sundays is more expensive. Sunday may not seem like the best time to book a flight, but is actually a great time to compare rates and purchase tickets.

Fly between Monday and Thursday to avoid paying more for last-minute fares. The cheapest domestic flights usually depart on Tuesday or Thursday. In terms of international flights departing on Wednesday or Thursday is usually the most affordable.

10. Flying as a group is possible. Searching for individual tickets is one way to find cheap flights.

Are you travelling with more than one person? When you search for several tickets, it is possible that the best offers on last-minute flights are not available. Instead, look for a single flight. That’s how to find cheap flights. You might have to sit separately or fly at different times, but you’ll most likely save some bucks!

11. Splitting your payment is a good idea.

Have you heard about Buy Now Pay Later? They’re essentially short-term loans that allow you to buy something right now and pay it off in future installments. It’s sort of like a credit card, except the BN/PL services There are many ways to get in touch with us. No interest rates.

For example, one of our Hip readers was able to use PayPal’s Buy Now, Pay Later service to split up payments on a last-minute flight with Southwest!

Southwest Airlines and Alternative Airlines are among the airlines that offer Buy Now Pay Later options. It’s a really neat service, and while it It is a good idea to usen’t necessarily make flights cheaper, it does Paying more for flights at the last minute can be a little painful.

Hip Tip Southwest Airlines has some great deals on tickets. 😱

12. It’s tempting to skip travel insurance, but it can really save your last-minute trip.

It is already stressful to have to leave at the last minute. Travel insurance can be worth the little bit extra you pay in most cases. You will have the peace of knowing that all your plans are safe. Plus, it usually won’t set you back too much. You should check the policies of each airline to see if they are worth it.

13. When you just can’t find cheap last-minute flights, look for savings elsewhere. 

So maybe you had a family emergency come up, or your work plans changed last minute, and you really need to catch a flight but it’s just not possible to find a deal no matter what you try.

If that is the case, you should look for ways to reduce costs elsewhere!

Plenty of hotel chains, like those owned by Intercontinental Hotels Group, Hilton Hotels, or Hyatt Hotels, offer rewards and points for frequent visitors & rewards program members. If you travel for work a lot, you may have some saved hotel loyalty points. If you can’t avoid paying extra for a flight, try redeeming your hotel points to at least reduce the cost of your stay.

Costco and AAA both offer loyalty programs similar to those that you can use for car rentals.

You can also save by checking for upgrades at the last minute. You can ask in person or check the airline’s website. Cheap upgrades don’t happen that often, but they still happen! Ask for a discount on a new seat. Your credit card rewards can be used to eliminate the TSA PreCheck fees.

You can also save money by checking the price on your flight after you’ve already purchased it. Many airlines have eliminated change fees. You might get an electronic credit for $150 if your flight was originally booked for $450 but is now only $300. The Points Guy says that you can get an ecredit from several major airlines.

And lastly, if you’re going on a shorter trip, eliminate luggage costs by only bringing a carry-on bag. Collin’s life has changed forever! This one step The following are some examples of the use of Can save you between $35-$50 each per person. 🙌

Pssssst! We happen to have some tips to keep you from overpacking. 😉

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