I absolutely love planning trips. I love to research, read blogs, browse tons of sites, and I also love the anticipation and excitement of looking forward to a trip for months. That being said, it’s super fun to plan trips last minute! When plans fall through, or Tony can get away from work, our first thought is, “let’s plan a trip!” Last minute travel can be expensive and overwhelming, but it can also be super spontaneous and fun. We are randomly going to Madison this weekend because we are free, and we love a good getaway to the city where we met.
Over the years I have picked up some tips on how best to plan last minute travel. Obviously, it varies from trip to trip depending on the distance, cost, etc. but in general you can apply these tips to last minute trips.
Be Flexible
When you book last minute, you need to be able to be flexible on both flight days and times. The best/cheapest flights may be mid-week (Tuesday is typically a cheaper day to fly), a red-eye, etc. Also, be open to connecting flights. Obviously direct flights are the best but connecting flights don’t take too much longer and are significantly cheaper, especially at the last minute.
Hotel Tonight
Hotel Tonight is an app that allows you to book cheap hotels just a few weeks in advance (or even as soon as tonight!) Hotels basically give Hotel Tonight their unsold rooms (and mark them down significantly) and then sell them to us at super lower prices! If hotels have empty rooms, they want to sell out even if it’s a significantly lower rate.
Skyscanner
I mentioned Skyscanner in this post on affordable travel, but it also applies to last minute travel as well. Within Skyscanner, you can search flights leaving from Minneapolis and going ‘Everywhere’ for all of the current month. I like to use Skyscanner to get inspiration and be spontaneous on where we are going. Maybe it’s not a place that you would typically pick, a place could surprise you!
Ask for Recommendations
When you book a trip last minute, you don’t necessarily have time to research. I like to ask Instagram for recommendations on places to eat and things to do (you guys have the best recommendations!) I also ask friends and family. Usually I will get duplicative responses on the best restaurants, coffee shops, etc. and I know that it will be a good place to go.
Budget Airlines
If you can avoid a budget airline, obviously that’s ideal. But booking last minute it’s usually cheapest to go on a budget airline. If we’re going somewhere close (1-2 hours) like Chicago or Denver, we will book on either Spirit or Frontier because the prices are so much cheaper. But even going to Europe, last minute trips can be affordable on airlines like Aer Lingus.
No Expectations
When you book last minute, it’s best to keep your expectations low and just go with the flow. Tony loves to have his day scheduled to the minute, but inevitably, things are go wrong and you have to just roll with the punches. You don’t want to get your hopes up about eating at a certain restaurant or doing a certain thing because you may not be able to get a reservation or ticket or whatnot. Sometimes going with the flow is the most fun!
14 Days Out
The best deals tend to be about 14 days out from the date of the trip. If you’re wanting to book a last minute trip, try to wait until 2 weeks before you leave, that is when the prices will drop. Start running deals then for cruises, airlines, hotels, etc.
Bargain
Bargain with your Airbnb host when booking last minute! I have never tried this, but I recently got this tip from another blogger. Apparently, those rates are not necessarily set in stone. If you are a few weeks out, reach out to the Airbnb host and see if you can get a better price. They would rather get their place rented out at a lower rate than not at all!
Look for Coupons
Try looking at ‘coupon’ sites like Groupon and Honey before your trip. Companies will be selling discounted tickets (that they couldn’t sell) at the last minute. You can find a lot of fun activities and things to do that maybe you wouldn’t have thought of. Maybe it’s a ghost tour or a boat ride or something random!
Carry-On Bag
Purchase a suitcase that is practical for spontaneous travel. I recommend a bag that is carry-on size but that can also be carried if necessary. Sometimes last minute travel involves planes, trains, and automobiles and you want to me mobile. I like to have a hard-shell roller bag for our travels. It’s lightweight, waterproof, and also light enough to carry if necessary.
