Christmas will be here any minute and New Year is on its way too. It is expected that holiday travelers have already booked their tickets and packed their bags by now. But there will always be buzzer beaters, right? Here's what last minute travelers can do at the 11th hour.
First, calm down, you're not alone on this. According to Jeanenne Tornatore, the spokeswoman of the famous online booking site Orbitz, 75% of holiday travelers wrap up their bookings for Christmas around December 7 and New Year trips are finalized around December 21. This reveals that almost a quarter of air travelers complete their preparations just weeks before the holidays.
At this point, last minute traveler should accept the fact that cheap flights have already been taken by the early birds says The Washington Post. Below are some helpful tips that can help save what can be saved.
Hunt for the left overs, the off peak flights. According to CBS News The peak travel days have surely sold all seats and airline companies don't have any motivation to discount any remaining slots on peak days.
For example, traveling on Christmas eve will surely save a couple of bucks, that if you don't mind traveling on the 25th. A little reminder though, flying on Christmas Eve might surprise you with unexpected delays.
If you're fine with waking up extra earlier, try picking flights no one else would usually want. Airlines find it hard to market their pre-dawn flights. It is more likely that even during the holidays, these flights have empty seats and cheaper in price.
And if your willing sacrifice a little convenience, lower fares can also be found by picking long layovers, red-eye flights and longer routed connecting trips. If you can, make use of alternate airports and stay away from the world's busiest airports.
But amidst all efforts to strike a good deal, sometimes odds work against your favor. Sometines, there's nothing left to do but learn a lesson that will come in handy the next time you plan a trip.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
