Buying an airline ticket at the last minute requires research, advanced preparation and some luck. Discounted last-minute airline fares tickets are scarcer than complimentary upgrades from coach to first-class. All domestic and international airlines try to sell full-price tickets to offset the red ink that has plagued the airline industry for the past few years. The key to getting a decent last-minute fare is flexibility.
Visit the websites of airlines that you use for travel frequently. Register for their discount and last-minute ticket programs. Each airline has its own program rules. However, traditionally, offers to buy unsold seats usually show up in your email on Tuesday or Wednesday. Be prepared to snap up your flight at the advertised price immediately.
Register at online travel sites like Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz and Mobissimo. Set up fare alerts for places that you want to visit and get email alerts when the fares drop from the normal rates. You can use this information to track the best prices by season. Travelocity has a last-minute booking option for weekend travel. However, you will need to combine your airfare with a hotel booking or a car rental. In many cases, the price is still better than the price you will get by ponying up to the airline's ticket counter.
Try Priceline and Hotwire, if you have to travel on the spur of the moment. In some cases, you may not be able to choose your airline or find out the time of the flight until you have paid for your flight. Expect to find yourself on a red-eye (early morning) or multiple-stop flight.
Check online or brick and mortar ticket consolidators, especially if you need to buy an international ticket. Many of these travel agencies help airlines sell their unsold seats. Most advertise in the travel section of your local newspaper and national papers like The New York Times. You will need to spend some time on the phone to seize a flight to your proposed destination at a good price.
Use a secondary airport, instead of the preferred airport for a major city. Flights to New York through LaGuardia and Kennedy often cost more than those through alternate airports in Newark and White Plains. Your air travel time will be almost identical, although your ground transit time may increase.
Search with flexible departure and return dates. The highest fares for most airlines are on Sunday, Monday and Friday. If you can schedule your travel on the other days of the week, you are more likely to find seats and affordable prices.
