What's the best and cheapest way to travel at short notice? (Leaving from the United Kingdom)
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M$6 Answers
When airlines need to fill up a plane fast, they post Web-only fares at deep discounts. In some cases, they also e-mail deals to those who've signed up for such alerts or to members of their frequent-flyer programs. However, some deals have fine print that may limit their value to you. Some of these airfares are often non-refundable and require a Saturday night stay.
Web fares are typically posted mid-week for travel that weekend. Read our airline guides to learn more about each airline. Then check the airline Web sites for last-minute Web fares - and have your bags packed.
2.Buy a vacation package
If you can't find a last-minute flight, consider a bargain-priced vacation deals. Vacation packagers buy blocks of flights to bundle with hotel nights. As departure dates approach, unsold packages are offloaded at discounted prices. You may be able to purchase an entire package at less than the cost of an available flight.
3. Consider a travel consolidator
Consolidators are the wholesalers of the industry. They buy large blocks of tickets from the airlines at a volume price. This practice helps the airlines by ensuring that a certain number of seats are sold in advance, which boosts overall capacity on various flights. Consumers benefit because consolidators resell these seats for less than the airline's advertised prices.
4. Don't overlook student and youth fares
There are plenty of organizations that cater to student travellers. Search for student-only airfares or try last-minute stand-by tickets for reduced fares. There are also youth fares -- discounted tickets for ages 18-22 and you don't have to be a student to use them. Search for youth airfare programs and start saving now.
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Thomas Cook holidays do offer a list of their last minute deals - although these are up to a month away rather than extreme last minute! Details of their 'special offers' can be found at http://www.thomascook.com/holidays/last-minute-holidays
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M$http://www.lastminute.com/site/travel/holidays/lastsecond-deals.html
http://www.expedia.co.uk/daily/holidays/offers/last-minute.aspx
You can also always call a travel agent and see what they can find for you. They can find last minute openings on tours and such that you can take advantage of.
And you can hang out at the airport looking or canceled seats but the only problem with this is the lodging. While you may get a great deal on a flight you may get shafted with the lodging.
I also found a feature on expedia.co.uk that lists many destinations with the lowest available fare. http://booking.expedia.co.uk/?lid=1006&MCICID=3PP_last-minute_main_module But think the lists above are more attune to what you seek.
Happy travels!
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M$
ryanair.com, easyjet.com
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M$
I agree best to try to book direct to cut out the middlemen charges, for hotels try http://www.nozio.com
They are super cheap if you buy the tickets like 2-3 weeks or more in advance. I used them a lot when I was studying in Europe. The only problem is that you have to be looking for a specific destination. And it's pretty hit or miss in that sense.
But yes, extremely cheap. I went to Dublin on Ryanair from Barcelona for 40something euros (incl tax).
http://www.lastminute.com/
They have a good selection of flights, hotels etc. For example a quick look on their site shows you could book a 3 night trip to Paris with flights and hotel for £132 per person, travelling out Thu 30th April. (They have plenty of other options even to Paris, but that just seemed like the kind of thing you want, pretty soon and pretty cheap.)
They don't seem to have any feature where they just tell you what they've got at the lowest fare without asking you where though. But you could try their phone number and see if a person can help you with that: 0871 222 5969
If you were looking for something longer than a City Break, they have a selection of cheap holidays on this page:
http://www.lastminute.com/site/travel/holidays/?skin=engb.lastminute.com
An example of what they've got is a week in Cyprus for £234 per person.
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They do have a list of specific holidays you can take with the lowest fare listing. Most depart from Gatwick. http://www.lastminute.com/site/travel/holidays/lastsecond-deals.html
One of the listings is 5 nights Greece at a five star hotel from 389 sterling per person. And you can leave as early as 3 days from now. They have specific dates.
That's not a list of the cheapest things they've got. It's a list of selected things they've got that are leaving almost immediately. (Which is why they're called last second deals.)
If you check what is on the page, the holiday to Cyprus I mentioned is cheaper than anything in that list. But it's not leaving in the next day or two.
Well, they list suggestions with the lowest fare available tomorrow or in a couple of days from now. I thought that was the question. I'm sorry if I misunderstood. They seem very cheap to me. In that case, I think expedia.co.uk may be more useful as they have extremely cheap suggestions most in early May.
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