How to Fly Cheaply at the Last Minute
By Chris Joseph
As a golfer, you may suddenly find yourself with an opportunity for an exciting golf trip at the last minute. You may also want to get away from it all and travel to a new and challenging golf course at the spur of the moment. In these situations, you may be faced with the challenge of booking a cheap flight as quickly as possible. Fortunately, this can be accomplished, although it may take a bit of effort. To have the best chance at success, it is best to explore several options.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Surf the Internet to look for bargains. Airlines do not want to be stuck with unsold tickets, so they often provide them to sites like Priceline.com or SkyAuction.com allow you to bid on available tickets online by making use of an auction format. The advantage of this method is that you will not have to pay more than what your budget allows. However, you may run the risk of overbidding or being outbid for the ticket.
Compare airline ticket prices online. A website such as Expedia.com allows you to compare ticket prices and availability for a variety of airlines, which affords you the luxury of shopping for the best price. Unlike the auction sites, your will not be able to negotiate a price by making a bid.
Contact the airline directly. If you have a favorite airline, you can call its reservation system to see what cheap fares are available to your destination of choice. To save money, you can check the airline's website to see if they have any last-minute deals available. Internet fares are often cheaper, although they sometimes require purchasing the tickets well in advance.
Call a travel agent. While they typically charge you a commission or fee for their services, this can be offset by discounted fares. Travel agents often have access to special deals that are not available to the general public. Also, if you are really pressed for time the travel agent can prove to be a valuable asset by performing all the work for you.
Become an international courier. If you want to travel to foreign countries and are not concerned about planning in advance, you can travel on major airlines and deliver a package once you arrive at your destination. In some cases you can save up to 85 percent on airfare. If you join an organization like the International Association of Air Travel Couriers, which costs $22.50 per year as of 2009, you will have access to this type of travel. Some restrictions may apply, such as the type and amount of luggage you can bring. For more information, visit Courier.org
Tips & Warnings
The more flexible you are, the better your chances of locating a flight
Book your flight as far in advance as possible
The more flexible you are, the better your chances of locating a flight
Book your flight as far in advance as possible
About The Author
Chris Joseph is a freelance writer residing in Pennsylvania. He has written hundreds of articles for newspapers and the Internet on a variety of topics, including several on golf for GolfLink.com. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from York College of Pennsylvania.
