Where to Save on Last Minute Vacations

Since the vacation I had booked in January was recently ruined by the Gulf oil spill, my family was in need of some quick alternate plans in order to salvage at least some of our summer getaway time. Since most of us know that contacting an airline directly within a few days of a departure is just asking to pay ridiculous prices, but after doing a little bit of research I discovered that this is not always the case. The tourism industry is just like any other business that requires a massive flow of customers to keep the profits coming in, and if you think about it from that perspective there is absolutely no reason to allow a single flight to take off with empty seats lining the aisles. The fuel is being used regardless and the exact same employees will be tending to the customers, so in a way by allowing passengers in on some last minute savings it can be looked at as pure profit. Coupon Shack prides itself on scouring the internet for the absolute best deals on everything, and this week’s article will focus on last minute travel savings.

The main key to last minute travel savings is simple as long as you know where to look, and believe it or not it is sometimes as simple as signing up for daily newsletters from the major airlines and tourism websites. Just like the farmer’s market that will discount produce when it is about to expire, there are literally thousands of flights, cruises, and hotels out there every day that are priced ridiculously cheap in order to get consumers to jump at the chance of a spontaneous bargain. The problem is that most of these deals are booked to capacity within hours or even minutes, so if you’re truly considering a last minute getaway it’s a good idea to have your credit or debit card handy and be prepared to take action when the right offer comes available.

Of course, the other half of that equation is to actually monitor each of your local airline’s daily specials, and this can be achieved by setting up a special “travel” folder within your email client so each of these advertisements will be routed there. Once that is out of the way, go to each travel website and airline to sign up to receive solicitations, and then place the welcome email in the folder you recently created. Any further correspondence should automatically route to that area, which will make finding those internet steals much more convenient. Below are a few of the more prominent last minute travel websites you should visit and register with-

Travelocity

One of our favorite business partners is Travelocity and not only because of the funny wandering gnome commercials either. Their vast networking capabilities allow them to check with each airline and hotel chain throughout the day, and when a steal is found the savings are passed directly along to their customers. The problem with such a powerful search engine is that once their last minute specials are posted they can and will disappear literally within seconds, so consumers need to watch their emails and be prepared to act quickly. Travelocity also offers exclusive discounts to Coupon Shack readers, and these specials also change frequently due to the nature of the business. Use the above link to check often.

HomeAway

This is another great website for planning a last minute getaway because it is entirely based on supply and demand. The vast majority of the properties listed on this website are owned by individuals, meaning if the property goes un-booked during the peak seasons then they are taking a chance of not paying their mortgages on time. While this is generally not a problem when the price is right, last minute cancellations create a unique opportunity more often than you would expect. Since the property owner usually has already taken a non-refundable security or booking deposit, they will be willing to let their condo or townhouse rent for a mere fraction of the actual value. Search for property bookings beginning tomorrow, and you may be pleasantly surprised at what you find.

Expedia

The great thing about this website is their ability to negotiate on the consumer’s behalf, and often the packages available on Expedia will include all kinds of different perks and last minute specials. For example, if you decide to head down south to Disney World tomorrow they can book you a room at the Palms Resort for $59 per night; their villas are easily among the nicest in the Orlando area and normally run well over four times that amount. Like some of the other popular travel websites Expedia updates their databases continually and their virtual tours of popular destinations are reason alone to visit before booking a hotel room anywhere.

Orbitz

Orbitz is also a leading website for last minute travel, and not only do they have exclusive contracts worked out for the remaining rooms at many area destinations but they also seem to find ways to get around many of the industry fees that usually remain hidden until after you’ve committed or signed a contract. It is a very pleasant feeling to book a vacation without wondering if you’re going to be bombarded with excess charges and headaches to worry about later, so for that reason alone Orbitz should be one of your first places to look for last minute travel.

Priceline

No matter how good of a bargain you happen to locate elsewhere, Priceline should always be used as a price comparison before making the actual booking. As William Shatner clearly points out in the commercials, this website is not a place to be modest. If the best deal found elsewhere is $79 per night, place a bid for $45 and expect to be surprised when the offer is accepted. Like we mentioned earlier, any business within the tourism industry would rather give a steep discount that risk having the room or seat totally vacant, and Priceline capitalizes on this very effectively. Of course, side by side comparisons are impossible with this type of service so it should always be the final place you check for last minute travel deals; and only after you’ve already found something worth booking.

Posted by Keith on October 20, 2010     Tags: Travel Savings


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