Many people believe that the best travel deals are only available three weeks or more in advance, but surprisingly, there are good bargains to be had for those who are patient. This article contains several helpful tips, which will show you how to find those last-minute deals.
Jump Ahead To:
Best
Choose a seat as soon as possible. If your airline allows you to select a place at the time of booking, be sure to do so. To make the best decision, use airplane seating websites to look up information on seating layouts and details for your specific type of plane online. Airlines often charge extra for exit rows and more spacious seats, the value of which you must determine based on the flight duration and cost.
Avoid wearing loud or particularly noticeable clothing when traveling. Try your best to blend in with your surroundings. Avoid wearing an unusual dress or acting in a way that marks you as a tourist. Pickpockets and con artists are often on the lookout for tourists. You are looking too much like one could make you a victim.
Where
Don’t over-schedule your vacation. While it is essential to plan some activities, especially ones which require tickets or additional travel, leave yourself plenty of free time. There is no better way to see a location than to wander around. Take the time to explore and see where you end up.
Do some research ahead of time and look for dining credits and coupons for your destination. You can also save a lot of money by getting advice about where to eat before you depart. This is better than asking for recommendations when you are already hungry and in a strange place.
Honeymoon
Always ask for upgrades. You can’t get it if you don’t ask. No one is going to offer you a free upgrade just because they like your shirt. When you check in with airlines and hotels, even car rental companies, ask if there are any upgrades available. If it is a special occasion like an anniversary, honeymoon or birthday, make sure to make mention of that.
Party
When traveling in a strange city by taxi, ask an independent third party such as a front desk clerk or baggage porter what the right rate is for a trip to your destination. Also, set up the price with the driver before you get into the cab. This helps prevent you from getting ripped off.
If you are traveling for a wedding or special event, do not book your hotel room under the block of rooms reserved for the party. Hotels usually give these events the corporate rate, which is higher than other discounts that they offer. Try making reservations with your AAA membership or hotel rewards program.
Flight
If you are going to be traveling on an airplane, purchase some antibiotic ointment and cotton swabs. Before you leave to catch your flight, put a generous amount of the lotion on the inside of your nose. It keeps out the germs and helps prevent you from getting sick. It also keeps your nose from drying out.
When making airline reservations, make sure you request seat assignment. Without it, you could be fighting with other passengers over which seat you want. Or worse, you could be forced to have to take a later flight because your original flight is overbooked. When you get your seat number, make sure it is documented on your ticket.
Hotel
Bring a book of matches or business card from your hotel while you explore your destination city. If you become lost, you can show it to a local and get directions back to the hotel. This simple precaution goes a long way to make up for whatever you lack in speaking the local language.
Whenever you are flying to your travel spot, make sure to use the airport limo or a possible airport pick-up service. This ensures that you do not have to wait in line for a taxi and that you can promptly arrive at your hotel with the least possible frustration.
Tips
Before you go on a trip, ask around for tips from friends and family. See who has been there before and what they’d recommend you either visit or avoid. Are there particular restaurants, sights, or shows you should see? You can also check out sites on the internet that provide advice from fellow travelers.
If you are traveling abroad, you can easily be the target of a crime. Make sure you don’t wear any expensive or conspicuous jewelry and carry an extensive amount of money. Following these two tips will lessen your chance of being pickpocketed or being the target of petty crime.
As was stated at the beginning of this article, finding last minute travel deals is rather easy if you are patient. If you know the right place to search for deals, then you might get something much better than if you had booked early. Apply the advice from this article, and you’ll be on your way to scoring a great deal on travel.