5 Tips for Finding the Best Last Minute Travel Deal

Booking last minute travel means you can either end up paying through the roof, or finding a deal that seems like a steal. We want to help you achieve the latter, so in today’s post we are sharing a few tips and tricks to help you find a last minute holiday, and save money to spend once you actually arrive at your destination. Let’s explore five of them together…

1) Be flexible about your destination

While you may have one specific dream destination in mind, the reality for last minute travellers is that beggars can’t be choosers. During high season, popular destinations tend to book up well in advance, and last minute deals that do pop up may be for places that you hadn’t necessarily considered.

Want to go to Costa Rica, but you come across a package for Nicaragua? Jump on it with no regrets … travelling somewhere is better than being stuck at home, especially when said travel can be had for a steal.

2) Use travel apps to find great deals

Another development in the travel industry in the past few years has been the emergence of travel apps. These programs are custom made for those that have mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, and they allow the savvy traveller to plan on-the-go and earn points towards future trips. For example, when you use the free Expedia app, you can earn triple Expedia+ points on flights and hotels, which can in turn be used to book future travels.

3) Opt for package deals instead of booking your flight and accommodation separately

One of the biggest travel booking mistakes is booking a flight and a hotel separately. In addition to the premium of booking last minute that is exacted upon you by airlines and the hotel industry, you leave money on the table by ignoring the power of taking advantage of package deals. Taking a deal that pays for things like your flight, hotel and rental vehicle in one shot can save you a significant sum. When you sit down and do the math, you often end up paying more if you try to do it all yourself.

4) Check out midweek departures

When planning holidays, do try to book a departure during the middle of the week. The vast majority of air passengers fly to and from their destinations on the weekend (Friday to Monday), leaving airlines scrambling to fill many of their routes from Tuesday to Thursday. Prices are often 10-20% cheaper during this time, helping to ease the cost of a last minute departure if you don’t manage to find a deal for the place you want to go.

5) Follow social media accounts to find out about special deals

It might sound like a wonderful thing to be able to take off for a faraway paradise on a whim, but where do people find out about these sweet deals? With the growing role of social media, companies have started to broadcast special deals via their Facebook and Twitter accounts. All it takes is a quick look at your social media channels and you too can get a deal so ridiculous that it will feel like you stole it.

Finding a good last minute travel deal does take a bit of research, but by utilizing the tips and tricks shared in this article, you can hold on to your hard-earned money for a much more worthy purpose – to actually enjoy the activities, restaurants, bars and attractions at your chosen destination.

Any tips we missed in this article? Let us know your secret last minute travel hacks in the comment section below!