Buyer Beware: The Last Minute Flight
Beyond a doubt, when it comes to planning a vacation or a romantic getaway, or even a business trip, the more time the better. With time, individuals can find the perfect flight with the last amount of connections, the best hotel room, the perfect rental car, and they can even arrange for all of their entertainment needs. With time also comes the opportunity to search for the best deals. There are many third-party websites dedicated solely to compiling the best deals on everything from airfare to hotel rooms, and many of these deals are only available to those who book their packages months in advance.
However, a last minute flight can be equally economic. In a sense, airlines would rather sell a ticket for a reduced price than not see it at all. There is hope for those who wait too long, or who have no choice but to make last minute travel arrangements. When an airline knows it is not going to sell out flights, they will often release last minute flight tickets through their websites for very reduced rates.
These tickets rarely find their way to those third-party companies, and the only way travelers can truly find out about them is to go directly through the airline. Sometimes, even going to the airport and waiting can work, as some flights end up offering stand-by for when passengers do not show up, and these tickets can also be cheap. However, if they are not cheap, the traveler is stuck at the airport looking for a better deal.
Positives and Negatives
While last minute flight deals can be lucrative, there are also a lot of risks involved. As stated above, waiting too long can mean not getting a flight at all, and when it comes to planning a vacation, there is a fine line between waiting for a deal and waiting to pay huge amounts of money.
Consumers must be careful to not wait too long, otherwise getting stuck at the airport waiting for stand-by will be the least of their concerns. Some last minute flight deals are offered by airlines who fear bankruptcy, and buying one of these tickets can mean possibly not having a flight in the end, especially if the airline does go under or cancels the flight. Also, for couples traveling together, last minute flight deals are rarely together-the seats may be separated, or only one ticket at a time may be offered, and the couple will be forced to split up on different planes.
The flights will also be laden with stopovers-direct connections are rarely the kinds of flights that do not sell out. However, for individuals who do not mind a bit of a bumpy ride, last minute flight tickets can be the perfect way to save money, and the only way to plan a trip without a lot of notice.
