Last-minute flight deals
Posted by baron_quinn_02486@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 16 comments
May I ask, what is your experience with last minute tickets? I mean purchase the same day as the flight. Airlines should sell cheaper, few hours before flight to fill the plane, but, if I check, in most cases the tickets are more expensive than fee weeks after.
When is the a selling ban?Which portal are you normally using to find the best last minute deals.
SNES_Salesman@reddit
There’s more profit in filling one empty seat for an exorbitant amount than selling multiple discounted seats. Those empty seats allow for standby to clear as well.
Pricing algorithms and the internet basically eliminated last minute discounts in travel.
zennie4@reddit
No, you are wrong. Last minute tickets are the most expensive ones and there are several good reasons for that.
kirsion@reddit
Not sure why you would buy a plane ticket last minute, unless it's an emergency. You have basically no time to plan anything, take time off of work or prepare. Unless you are extremely spontaneous
Fit-Association-4851@reddit
Sounds like op would plan the trip like normal but just buy the ticket last minute
kirsion@reddit
That's a horrible idea, what if the ticket gets goes up the price or gets sold out. You just fucked yourself for trying to save a couple of dollars
HHtown8094@reddit
You sound like you have very limited vision.
kirsion@reddit
No I have 20/20 vision
SantaFeConcierge@reddit
I use Google Flights. This is hands down the best flight fare analyzer. Enter your city pair but leave the dates blank. It will give you a calendar with the best fares. Select your dates and if flexible on travel days you can find the lowest airfare. Also, Google will notify you if those city pair airfare goes up or down. https://www.google.com/travel/flights?source=hsi2&lfhs=2
Rickreation@reddit
Great idea, thank you Santa!
PaleJicama4297@reddit
Tbh this is no longer a thing. For a long time.
matt49267@reddit
I wonder if airlines especially full service ones would rather have a fair few rows empty than sell at a last minute discount
Fit-Association-4851@reddit
They probably would prefer to get something rather than nothing but its more profitable at the end of the day to just eat those empty seats.
AngryChickenPlucker@reddit
If you need to get somewhere on the day and if there are seats free, the airline has the view that its urgent and can charge a premium. Its now well documented prices are lowest around 6 - 8 weeks before the flight.
groucho74@reddit
Airlines almost always make more money hugely raising prices shortly before takeoff and really hammering people who have to go to urgent business meetings and other such things than they do buy lowering prices to fill the airplane with last minute bargain hunters. One businessman is probably worth 10 or more likely 20 tourists.
The only fairly rare exception are flights from Rich industrialized countries to classical holiday destinations in a country with a very different culture. I have seen flights from Germany to the Canary Islands be so discounted but that’s about it.
archer02486@reddit
If airlines predictably lowered fares until takeoff, everyone would wait until the last minute, and they would lose lots of money.In fact, airlines often raise fares close to departure, to take advantage of business travelers who must take short notice trips.Some find the lowest fares three to six weeks beforehand. But again, the airlines are strongly motivated to avoid being predictable. This is called "revenue management". And I would use trip.com, not for the last minute deals, but it has a stacking offer for new customers, and you can get ten euros off your first use of trip.com, so if you're looking for some apps where you can find cheap deals on airfare, maybe check out trip
What do you mean by a "selling ban"? Airlines will usually take your money up until check-in time, at the price they are offering.
wanderingdev@reddit
yeah, that doesn't happen much any more. it used to be a thing but stopped a while ago. now if you're buying last minute you're paying out the nose. most people don't buy last minute unless they're desperate so airlines take advantage of that.