There are numerous reasons why you may need to book a flight on the day you leave. Perhaps an emergency has occurred in your family or you need to take care of something for business reasons. Or perhaps you simply want to leave town and get away for the weekend. Although booking a last minute flight can be stressful, you can still find a cheap flight by looking online or calling an airline directly. By doing some research, you will be able to find a flight within your budget on the day you leave.
Before you start searching for flights keep the following two things in mind: Make sure to check out flights with late night departures since they typically cost less money, and look into flights at alternative airports. You can often get a cheaper fare by flying into a smaller airport. If you live in Washington, DC, for instance, search for flights at all three major airports(Washington Dulles, Reagan National and BWI), not just the one closest to your home.
Check for flights on travel Web sites. Begin your search by visiting last minute travel sites such as LastMinute.com and LastMinuteTravel.com. Then expand your search by heading to Web sites such as Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz. Take note of the cheapest flight you find.
Consider consolidated flights. Flight consolidators purchase large volumes of tickets that otherwise may not be sold. In turn, the consolidators sell these tickets at deeply discounted prices. Visit Web sites such as BargainTravel.com and AirlineConsolidator.com to search for cheap flights. However, remember that consolidated flights often come with certain stipulations, like penalties for changes. Make sure you understand these stipulations before you book your flight.
Call the airlines directly. Speak to an airline representative to see if you can save money by booking directly. Tell the representative about the cheapest airfare you found online and ask if he can guarantee you an equal or better price. Some airlines, like Delta and United, also offer vouchers for future flights if passengers find a lower fare online than the airline is offering.
Consider bidding on a flight on sites such as PriceLine.com or HotWire.com. Here you can bid on airfares by typing in the lowest price you're willing to pay for a flight. If the site finds a flight that matches your bid and itinerary, then it will book the flight for you. Just make sure you understand the sites' stipulations before you place your bid. Usually, you cannot cancel or change a flight you've bid on.
