As you dash through the house trying to throw together all your items into one bag, it’s hard to believe that you are actually going on holiday. Just yesterday you were dreaming about a holiday to get away from it all, and now you are actually going. Does this sound like something you and your travel companion like to do? Last-minute travel has plenty of benefits and can be an incredibly thrilling experience to make a quick decision, buy a spur-of-the-moment ticket, and pack your things and go.
But know that if you plan beforehand (just a little bit) you will save yourself money and hassle down the line. Check out these tips for making your last-minute travel plans and keeping the experience totally stress-free.
Stay domestic
If you can settle with staying in New Zealand you will be shocked at the amazing experiences you can have right in your backyard. Not only will you get out of your town, but you will get to see other parts of your own country and have the chance to relax in familiar. Not to mention, if you need to fly to and from, the ticket prices are bottom of the barrel to begin with so you won’t bust your budget. Be surprised by your own country and stay domestic for your next last-minute holiday.
Use an alternative airport
If you are going to go abroad for your last minute holiday, look to see if your destination has alternative airports. For example, if you are headed to London, choose from Gatwick, Stansted or London City Airport instead of Heathrow. This way, you save money for the price of the ticket because the airlines save money on the cost of the gate fees. It’s a win-win situation for all.
Check out last-minute travel sites
While a majority of these sites can be spammy and not offer any sort of incredible deal, there are a rare few that can offer amazing last minute deals for the traveller who is willing to be flexible. For example, Lastminute.com.au is always running campaigns for cheap flights to destinations around the world. Put your daydream destination into the site, press 'go' and see what kind of steals these sites can provide for you.
Sign up for airline newsletters for instant notifications
If looking for somewhere to go stresses you out, and you prefer to have the information sent to you, check out your favourite airlines website to see if they have a newsletter. Oftentimes airlines will send out last-minute deal emails to their subscribers as they realize that certain flights aren’t booking up. Come Wednesday or Thursday when the fantasies of jet setting around the world set in, you can look to your email inbox for potentially perfect spur-of-the-moment specials. Some of them will have time constraints for taking advantage of the deal which could play to your favour, and others are more long-term travel offers. Sign up and get impromptu trip inspiration delivered directly to your inbox.
So even if you are sitting at your desk right now dreaming of colder climes or of laying on a beach somewhere, you can get together the budget, the means and the information to pick your last-minute travel destination and go. And even if you don’t plan anything else before you go, make sure you DO purchase an affordable Essentials travel insurance plan from Cover-More New Zealand. That way, as you figure out what you want to do in your new-to-you hotspot, your trip and your investment will be covered.
Image courtesy of Unsplash user Chris Liu-Beers