When it comes to holidays, most of us spend more time planning them than actually enjoying them. If you’re like most people, half the fun of having a holiday is knowing for months that you are going to go away for some fun.
Instead of trying to perfect your planning, why not leave the planning all together? Throw caution to the wind and book last-minute flights – a breakaway that will definitely save you time and probably money too.
Oonagh Shiel, travel expert at Cheapflights.co.za, shares 7 tips on how to find last minute flights your next holiday.
Don’t be fussy!
- Lose the plans all together – if you’re looking for last-minute flights and even holiday deals, flexibility is key. Try and keep a few dates and days in your mind and work around them instead of being set on specific dates. You may find deals that are a day or two on either side of your original dates.
- The same goes for where you depart from. We all get a little stuck in the rut when it comes to flying out from a certain airport or town. Do some research and you may find a smaller airport nearby or even the next town along that has much cheaper flights because it’s smaller.
- Don’t think about your destination either.
Pick your days better
It’s a well-known fact that flight tickets are more expensive over the weekends, especially around public holidays. Did you know that in general flights on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest. Why not mix it up a bit and take those much needed leave days and fly midweek?
Do a little cleaning out
Research has shown that some airline sites track your browsing data and will continue to either show the same fare you originally searched, even two weeks later, or each time you recheck the page, the fare will continually increase forcing you to panic and book the ticket before it gets too expensive. Clear your cookies or cache to always browse fresh and you may just grab the last-minute flight deal of the decade.
Be informed
Stay on top of it by getting social and keeping yourself informed. Most airlines are very active on social media, especially Facebook and Twitter; and they will often use these channels to announce holiday deals and last minute specials. Even better, make sure you subscribe to special offer newsletters or email blasts to make sure that you know when there are going to be sales and specials on packages or flights.
Embrace spontaneity
If you are not destination bound, try searching on sites for the best deals and decide where you are going to go on holiday when you see the best deal. Also if you are willing to chance it, getting on standby lists for airlines, while not guaranteed, could at least save you a penny or two. Live dangerously.
Get clever
- Try booking at different times of the day. Sometimes very early in the morning or late at night could result in a much cheaper fare than if you book during office hours when the personal assistants of the world are all duteously booking their bosses flight tickets without a worry about the premium fares. In the same way, very early flights or late flights will always have cheaper fares. Who needs sleep anyway? Aren’t you going on holiday?
- Travel alone. We don’t mean go on holiday alone but if you are travelling as a group it might be cheaper and easier to find last minute flights for one person then just arrange to meet up at the other end.
Do your research
- Use booking sites that help you to compare flights from all airlines or holiday accommodation from a number of establishments. So at a glance you can get a picture of how fares compare.
- Remember the two week rule; most airlines drop their fares two weeks before a flight date if the flight hasn’t sold enough tickets.
Last-minute bookings can be a little stressful if you’re a A-type personality, but if you have no choice and you need to jump on a plane last minute or you want to try and save a buck or two these tips might just come in handy. Do any of you have any tips and tricks that have helped you grab a well-priced last minute flight?
