Recently I snagged an awesome price on a round trip ticket to Hawaii. It was a last minute deal, so I basically clicked purchase and then began packing my bags. I had a few of you ask how I was able to score a flight for so cheap when it was so last second, so I’m sharing my secrets with you!
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- Be flexible on time and dates: Often, the earlier you book a flight the better. But that is not always the case. I was told over and over that if you don’t book a flight within 2 weeks of travel, the prices will be insane. That might be true if you need a seat on an almost packed plane or your travel is not at all flexible. But if you don’t really care when you travel and you don’t really care what time you get there, you’ll be able to snag some great last second deals. You really can score some pretty awesome deals a day or two before traveling. The airline is looking to fill flights, and if you’re willing to be that body, it’s a match made in heaven.
- Use a low price calendar: I ALWAYS search via a price calendar {it will show you the lowest prices for every day in a month}. Almost all airlines offer one, and it allows you to build your trip around the cheapest flights, instead of picking your days and being stuck paying higher prices.
- Be sneaky: Seriously. Go incognito! If you search on your regular browser, flight prices can actually increase when you repeatedly search for a specific flight. Based on the cookies in your browser, flight prices really do increase because the site wants to scare you into booking the flight quickly before prices get even higher. Always search for flights in incognito or private browsing mode in order to see the lowest prices.
- Use kiwi.com: Kiwi is an online travel agency with a crazy cool algorithm that allows customers to combine flights from non-cooperating airlines onto a single itinerary, often resulting in significant savings. You plug in where you’re flying from and some approximate costs then start to appear over hundreds of countries around the globe from your departure point. They conveniently sort the list of destinations by price, allowing you to see the most cost-effective place you can fly.
- Use the right sites: In addition to Kiwi, there are some go-to sites that will always have the cheapest flights. Skyscanner and Cheapoair are my favorites, with AirFare Watchdog coming in a close second. I always find the cheapest flights using those 3 sites!
- Search mid-month and on a Tuesday or Wednesday: People typically get paid at the beginning and end of the month—which is when they usually decide that they have money to travel—making the costs a bit higher. It’s a supply and demand thing. I also always score the best deals on Wednesdays, but other people are certain Tuesdays bring the cheapest flights.
- Don’t search online: Wait, WHAT? I know right. But sometimes checking prices first online and then comparing them to the prices a travel agent or airlines agent gives you can save you big time. Travel agencies often have discounts not available online that they can offer. They might not be the cheapest, but sometimes they can beat any online price. They are especially helpful for international travel. And calling the airlines directly has helped me score a super cheap flight a few times. Doesn’t hurt to try!
- Sign up for deal alerts on the major travel websites. This one rarely comes in handy for last second travel, but once in awhile I’ll see an awesome last second vaca pop up. Normally I like to use them when I’m booking a trip in advance because it allows me to see the fluctuations in prices, and then jump on a deal when it comes up.
How do YOU score great deals on your last second airline tix?
~Mavis
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MEM says
Can you tell us what you paid for your airfare. It took me two years to earn miles on Alaska airlines and Hawaiian airlines in order to fly my family of four from Boston to Honolulu last May.