Last-minute flights have become a large industry thanks to the ever speeding Internet where you can see flight price changes like the stock price on exchanges and a bigger thanks to the growing industry of budget airlines (Or I should say Air Bus). You can just flip your phone and find a flight that is cheap enough for you to buy on the spur of the moment and fly away this weekend.
However, there are a few things to keep in mind if you're considering purchasing last-minute tickets.
Check Point #1 - It's crucial to note that you can't rely on the costs indicated in advertisements for last-minute flights. This is due to the usual practice of removing booking fees, airport taxes, and a variety of other small extras from the price - these are all added on after you've pulled out your credit card and are ready to pay, in the hopes that you won't want to back out by then. So ask for all minute details on charges to avoid surprises. The most significant snag is that last-minute airfares are never refundable. If you're going to buy one on the spur of the moment, make sure you can truly make it first because you won't be able to back out afterward.
Check Point #2 - Also, just because a flight states it's going to a huge city like London or Paris doesn't imply the airport is truly close by. Budget airlines fly to smaller airports to avoid paying higher airport fees at major airports, and these smaller airports can be up to two hours distant from the city center by often unreliable public transportation.
In other situations, you may find up spending the same amount for a train ticket to the place you believed was your destination as you did for your plane tickets.
Check Point #3 - It's also worth mentioning that on airlines that take seat reservations, last-minute flights will only have the seats that no one else wants, which are usually the ones in the middle of the row. This is crucial if you have motion sickness or if you wish to sit together as a couple or family.
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