We all know that planning a trip at the last minute isn’t the smartest financial strategy out there. With limited time to spare, bargain-hunting is hardly a first priority. But when it comes to sudden breakups, unexpected layoffs, or general impulsiveness, time is rarely on our side. Whether we’re fleeing something back home or just really terrible at time-management, last-minute plans are sometimes unavoidable.
Fortunately, leaving town at the 11th hour doesn’t have to break the bank; there are actually ways to go about planning your escape that are (gasp!) affordable. From following last-minute flight deal sites to signing up for a credit card with serious travel perks like the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card, these are the tips you’ll need to actually afford an amazing trip on the fly.
First things first: Get in on the flight deal sites and apps.
There are people who actually get paid to scour the internet all day, hunting for last-minute flight deals — so use them! They are a total gift to travelers everywhere (especially those in the 11th-hour department). Follow The Flight Deal, Airfarewatchdog, Secret Flying, and Fareness on social media, and sign up for the newsletters to stay in the loop about great last-minute deals.
And for those of you who don’t actually know where you want to go, you can let the fares do the choosing for you. If you use Fareness, for example, you can select when you want to leave (try “this weekend only” or “anytime in January”), how long you’d like to travel, and how you want your results sorted, and the service will provide you with the best deals out there. The same goes for Google Flights’ Explore Destinations: Simply type in your preferred travel date, and the site will give you tons of destinations with amazing deals that correspond.
Illustrated by Alex Marino.
When it comes to flying, pay attention to the day of the week — it matters more than you think.
If you’re looking to fly out of town within the same week that you book your tickets, try to make your final purchase on either a Sunday or a Tuesday. Airlines often discount their fares on these days for flights that are taking place later that week. Likewise, try to actually do your traveling on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday. On these days, you can avoid all the premium-rate-paying business travelers, who typically fly on Fridays and Mondays.
Illustrated by Alex Marino.
Choose a credit card that does the work for you.
One of the easiest ways to book an affordable, last-minute trip (while barely lifting a finger) is with a credit card that offers serious travel perks. With the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card, you’ll get 30,000 bonus points (about $300 in cash redemption) if you spend $3,000 within your first three months. And you can earn three times the points for spending money on the fun stuff you normally splurge on: eating out, ordering in, rideshares, transit, popular streaming services, flights, hotels, car rentals, and more. You basically get points for just…doing things you already do. Which means that on this trip, the money you’ll spend eating, traveling, and exploring will earn you points for your next trip.
Bonus: The Propel Card doesn’t have an annual fee or a foreign conversion fee. And as long as you keep your account open, your points won’t expire.
Illustrated by Alex Marino.
Get crafty when choosing your accommodations.
Right now, there are three big apps that you should have on heavy rotation: HotelTonight, One:Night, and Secret Escapes. They all do roughly the same thing: help you score sweet deals on hotel rooms the very night that you book.
If you’re looking to steer clear of hotels altogether, many Airbnb hosts will drop the nightly price of their listings at the last minute. Because they’re often as desperate as you are, this is a great time to try negotiating with your host. After all, they just want to fill their rooms!
Illustrated by Alex Marino.
Plan to eat local.
If you’re leaving at the last minute, it’s likely that all of the ultra-chic restaurants on every listicle will be fully booked (if you’ve even had time to research the food scene, that is). Instead of scrambling for reservations at overpriced bistros, sign up for a service like EatWith, Traveling Spoon, or Feastly, each of which will connect you with a local chef or family before you go. Then, once you arrive, they’ll invite you over for a meal (don’t worry, they’re heavily vetted).
And while you’re at it, check out Localeur, a company that gathers travel recommendations from actual locals in tons of cities around the world. These are the sort of places where you can probably still snag a reservation, even at the last minute. Plus, these little hole-in-the-wall spots will likely serve you some of the best food in the area.
Illustrated by Alex Marino.
Consider the bundle.
We know, we know, the whole bundle thing — where you purchase your flight, hotel, car rental, and museum passes in one giant package — doesn’t exactly sound cool. But when it comes to last-minute travel, it can help you save a lot of money overall. Sure, your flight itself may be a bit more expensive, but by clumping all of that other stuff into your buy, the price tag is often smaller in the end. It’s not a scam! Expedia, for example, has some great “bundle and save” packages, as do Priceline and Travelocity. And with all the cash you saved on the basics, you’ll still have funds to fit a few ~cool~ things into your itinerary.
Illustrated by Alex Marino.
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Source: Refinery29 – Annie Daly