Scoring affordable airfare at the last minute

Cheap last-minute flights are a big industry thanks to a multitude of websites and travel apps. You may be looking around and find a trip that’s cheap enough to buy on the spur of the moment and fly away this weekend. However, there are a few things to keep in mind if you’re considering purchasing last-minute tickets.

1. It’s crucial to keep in mind that the price listed in ads for last-minute flights can’t always be trusted. This is due to the frequent practice of removing booking fees, taxes, and other extras from the upfront price. They are often tacked on after you’ve pulled out your credit card and are ready to pay, in the hopes that you’ll go ahead and buy the trip regardless of the additional costs.

2. Just because a flight states it’s going to a major city like London or Paris, that doesn’t guarantee the airport is close by. Low-cost airlines sometimes fly to smaller airports to avoid paying higher fees at big ones, and these smaller airports can be two hours or more away. In other situations, you might spend the same amount for transportation to the city you believed was your destination as you paid for your airfare.

3. It’s also worth mentioning that, on airlines taking seat reservations, last-minute flights will only have the seats that no one else wants. These are generally, of course, the ones in the middle of the row. You don’t want this seat if you have motion sickness or if you hope to sit with travel companions.

The most significant snag in all of this is that last-minute airfares are almost never refundable. If you’re going to spontaneously buy tickets, be sure you can truly make it first, because you often won’t be able to back out afterwards.