Last Minute Tickets Promotions: Good or Bad?
More and more, airline companies are using last minute ticket deals for promotional sales. This is actually a very smart marketing method because sometimes life flies by and people don't have time to make plans ahead of time; then, the week comes and they realize they don't have any reservations.
Last Minute Ticket Deals
If you're going to be making travel plans at all, you should use an in-person or online travel agency. Oftentimes if you're making last minute deals, you will have to do it online. Either way, choose a company that has extensive networking and connections because they will be more likely to get you last minute ticket deals that are worth your while. Bigger agencies can generally offer better deals but you can also look into wholesale airlines.
It's probably a good idea to deal with a company that has worked with cheap last minute ticket deals before. Don't be embarrassed to inquire about their experience and how long they have been around. Since everything is so technological now, you can usually get all of this information online. Most travel websites even have a section for last minute deals. You need to purchase whatever you're getting within a certain period of time beforehand- usually a week. They will usually have packages and give each one an expiration date.
Most websites offer a lot of deals for last minute travel that are even less expensive than if you did it ahead of time. For example, there is a last minute roundtrip ticket deal from Chicago to Las Vegas and 2 nights in the MGM Grand for $381-and this is last minute! With that package, it can be booked anytime from two weeks all the way to three hours before. Instead of making you pay more for being last minute, they make deals. Oftentimes, their deals include hotel, rental vehicles, or have available add-ons.
Beware of Last Minute Ticket Deals
Sometimes the last minute ticket deals are spread out seats on the plane that nobody has booked yet, i.e. center seats. Another thing to beware of is extra secret costs. At first it may all seem very affordable but that is generally the least expensive hotel available. So if you upgrade, it can add huge costs. Or sometimes you choose your whole last minute ticket deal and the hotel and everything and the price seems too good to be true-it is! Because then all of a sudden when you get to the payment screen, a huge amount of money is added for tax. By a huge amount, sometimes it is hundreds of dollars.
Lastly, most last minute ticket deals are non-refundable so you really have to make sure that you will be able to go on the dates that you choose. For some travel situations, you won't need last minute ticket deals but if the time comes that you do, just search around and make sure you read the fine print!
