Figuring out how to get cheap flights last minute has always been a challenge for travellers when wanderlust strikes late, but with a little know-how, you can still score a deal… even at the 11th hour.
Here’s how to get last minute flight deals, starting with a look at how airlines price their tickets and the best tips, tricks and hacks for snagging deals.
What to know about airline pricing models
Before we discuss how to get cheap last minute flights, it’s helpful to understand how airline pricing models work.
Airlines tend to increase fares as the flight approaches. Traditionally, this strategy has enabled airlines to capitalise on business travellers whose flights are paid for by their company, meaning they are less impacted by higher prices and often book closer to the departure date.
But more airlines are adopting dynamic pricing models, in which fares may fluctuate often based on:
- Market conditions
- Passenger demand for the flight
- How the flight is selling at any given time
What is the 21-day rule? And how can it help me get cheap flights?
Historically, airlines have followed what is often referred to as the “21-day rule” in pricing their flights, which provides a rough gauge of when travellers can typically expect prices to increase prior to departure. Let’s break it down:
- Flights typically open for booking between 330 and 361 days in advance, depending on the route.
- The price is cheapest from when bookings open until about 21 days, aka three weeks, before departure—but the sooner you book, the better.
- After this window, ticket prices then to increase. They increase again two weeks before departure and again a week before.
How to get cheap last minute flights
While you’re generally more likely to see lower prices by booking earlier, there are still deals to be had if you know how to get cheap last minute flights.
1. Be flexible with timing
If you can be flexible with travel dates, your savings can be significant.
Let’s say you want to travel from Manchester to Barcelona but are not committed to exact dates. With KAYAK Flight Search, enter your origin and destination. When you add your travel dates, you’ll be shown a colour-coded calendar that indicates the cheapest and most expensive dates to fly.
On the dates I searched, I found more than a £168 difference between days. You can choose from those options or go to the upper right-hand corner of the calendar and click on the dropdown arrow next to “Departure.”
If you have the flexibility, choose “±3 days” from the dates dropdown list. This will indicate the cheapest fares three days before or after your chosen dates.
2. Consider alternate cities and nearby airports
If you’re booking late, you can often save money by looking at flights to nearby airports – or by flying from an alternative airport.
- Example 1: If you are flying to London last minute, check flight options for Heathrow (LHR), Stansted (STN), Gatwick (LGW), and London City (LCY). By broadening your search, you’re much more likely to get a good deal.
- Example 2: Let’s say you’re going to Florence, Italy. The main airport is Florence Peretola (FLR), which is about five miles from the city. To find cheap last minute flights, search for flights to Pisa Airport (PSA) instead. It’s about 1.5 hours away, but flights can be significantly cheaper and there’s a direct train to Florence.
- Example 3: If you are travelling to Paris, check the city’s various airports, not just the main international hub, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). Expand your search for flights to include the smaller Paris-Orly Airport (ORY) or Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport (BVA). Beauvais is further out of the city, but flights can be considerably cheaper last minute.
3. Be open to visiting different destinations
If you’re craving a last minute getaway and you’re willing to fly anywhere within your budget, you can use the KAYAK Explore tool. Just enter your departure city and discover destinations you can fly to within your price range.
Use the slide tools to filter for budget and flight duration, as well as the type of trip (flexible? Check “anything”) and how many stops you’re willing to make.
You can search within a date range or any time, any duration, and discover a deal – and a destination! – you may have never even considered otherwise.
4. Travel during the off season or shoulder season
If you can’t commit to flights early but want to get away, decide to travel during the off-season or shoulder season. This can increase your chances of scoring a last-minute deal on flights (as well as other savings, like more affordable hotels).
If you are flying internationally this summer, KAYAK data shows that fares dip as summer winds down, making late August or early September your best bet for deals.
5. Fly on actual holidays, like Christmas Day
Travelling home for Christmas but forgot to book early? One all-but-guaranteed way to snag a last minute flight deal is to fly on the actual holiday, such as Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve or Day. These are less popular times to travel and prices are often less expensive than right before or after the holiday.
6. Book two separate one-way flights
Another way to book a last minute flight deal is to search one-way routes, even on a different airline. This way, you can mix and match airlines – and even airports — to create a budget-friendly trip.
You don’t even need to put in the work, because KAYAK Hacker Fares does it for you automatically. If you’ve found a hacker fare, it will typically say “Hacker Fare” underneath the price.
Note: If you book on different airlines, download each carrier’s app to stay informed about flight updates.
7. Consider red-eye flights
Many people avoid red-eye flights for obvious reasons. But if you’re stuck for a reasonably priced flight last minute, a red-eye flight (which simply means flying overnight) can help you save some money.
A couple of factors are at play: Airlines sometimes incentivise travellers with lower fares, and less demand can also keep prices down until the last minute. This tip can be particularly helpful for long haul flights, such as flights to Asia.
8. How ‘skiplagging’ can help you save on last minute flights
Here’s how skiplagging works: say you want to fly from London to Tromsø, but flights are super pricey. However, you find a cheaper connecting flight to Tromsø, with a stop in Oslo, your desired destination. You would simply not use (or “skip”) the onward flight to Tromsø.
Skiplagging comes with big risks. It’s strictly forbidden by major airlines, and if they catch you doing it, you can be banned from flying with them. Another big drawback: If you don’t show up for one leg, the airline will cancel the remainder of your itinerary. As a result, skiplagging generally works better on one-way routes.
Finally, skiplagging requires you to travel extremely light. You won’t be checking bags, of course (as they will be sent to your stated, but not actual, final destination,) and having only a personal item is highly recommended in case flight attendants force you to check your carry-on bag during a full flight.
If you do decide to give it a go, proceed with caution.
9. Take advantage of tech tricks like KAYAK AI
Backed by robust KAYAK data, KAYAK.ai is the only tool that offers real-time pricing in conversational search (others rely on cached data). It’s a great way to get travel ideas you may not have considered and snag cheap last minute flights.
10. Use KAYAK’s Price Alert tool
Finally, don’t forget about the set-it-and-forget-it convenience of Price Alerts, which can make it a cinch to score cheap flights last minute.
The Price Alert tool will update you when a fare changes, such as when prices drop. I find this especially handy when I have my eye on a specific destination.
To do this on KAYAK:
- Run a flight search
- Toggle on ‘Track prices’ next to the search results
- Your price alert will be set. When the price changes, KAYAK will notify you via email or push notification.
FAQs
Generally, booking at the last minute is not cheaper, and booking closer to the departure date is typically more expensive than booking in advance. That said, there are still ways to find great last minute deals with our tools.
Prices fluctuate with demand, so booking on a certain day usually won’t increase your chances of landing a cheap last minute fare. Check out KAYAK’s addition to the lineup of money-saving tools, the Best Time to Travel, and nail down your trip dates for your particular origin and destination.
There’s no hard and fast rule, but flights booked with seven days of departure are usually considered last minute. Booking a flight within two weeks of departure is sometimes considered last minute – and booking a flight for the next day is most definitely considered last minute.
Generally speaking, most flights get more expensive closer to departure. Most airlines follow what’s often referred to as the 21-day rule in pricing flights. When flights are open for booking, you’ll generally find the best prices up to 21 days before departure, at which point fares will typically go up. At 14 days, prices will increase again, and then again at seven days beforehand. Even so, savvy travellers know how to get cheap last minute flights by using specific tips and strategies.
Unfortunately easyJet don’t tend to offer last minute deals on flights. On the contrary, they almost always increase prices nearer the time or to reflect high demand.
Popular last minute flight routes
