It has happened to everyone at some point: an unexpected event that will make it necessary to purchase a plane ticket at the last second. Whether it is a spur of the moment business trip, a family emergency or even an impromtu surprise visit to see a friend, buying plane tickets at the last minute can be a costly affair. But if you follow a few simple tips, your search for last-minute airfare deals should be a little easier on your wallet than you anticipated.
Search on Last Minute Travel with your itinerary details. This site specializes in last-minute travel sales. They are able to offer better deals by not revealing certain details of your booking, such as the travel times, until the purchase is complete.
Try booking your last-minute flight on SideStep. This site has extremely up-to-date deals and searches all the different airlines and other travel search engines.
Log in to Priceline to name your price on last-minute deals. This can be a cost-effective solution for those without travel time restraints since the travel times are almost always hidden until payment is received.
Check out Southwest Airlines' web-only fares. You will have to go the the airline website specifically, since Southwest does not show up in any of the travel search engines.