Smart Ways to Find Cheap Flights When You Book at the Last Minute

Booking a flight at the last minute can be nerve-racking and costly. A few deliberate steps, though, can turn up a better price and save real money. These strategies apply whether the trip is a planned vacation or an urgent visit to family.

Start With the Typical Fare

Before hunting for a bargain, learn what a standard ticket costs on the route in question. A quick online search will do it. With that benchmark in hand, it is easier to tell whether a deal is actually good.

Google Flights is a handy place to compare the lowest fares across many airlines at once. Its explore feature shows a map of destinations reachable from a chosen airport. Enter the travel dates and a budget to see what is available.

Consider Low-Cost Carriers

Travelers who can pack light may find strong prices on budget airlines such as Spirit, Allegiant, and Frontier. The trade-off is that these carriers often charge extra for:

• Picking a seat
• Bringing a carry-on bag or a checked bag
• Refreshments on board

For anyone willing to skip the perks and cover fees where needed, a budget airline can be an ideal pick.

Use Miles for Award Seats

A short timeline doesn't rule out an award flight. Some airlines release award seats close to departure, so redeeming miles can lead to a cheap last-minute ticket.

Travelers without a frequent flyer account may still have options. Points from certain credit cards can be moved into airline programs. Major cards with generous rewards that offer transfers include:

• Capital One: Transfers to Air Canada Aeroplan, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, and more
• Chase Ultimate Rewards: Transfers to Southwest, United Airlines, JetBlue, British Airways, and Flying Blue
• AMEX Membership Rewards: Transfers to Delta, British Airways, Air Canada Aeroplan, and more
• Citi ThankYou: Transfers to Singapore Airlines, Qantas, JetBlue, and more

Shop Around Online for Short-Notice Fares

Whether the plan is a family trip or a spur-of-the-moment getaway, searching online can bring up surprising prices. Skyscanner and Expedia list many last-minute flight and hotel deals that may save hundreds of dollars. Google Flights also works well for comparing routes and airlines.

The airline's own website is sometimes the best source. Southwest, for instance, doesn't advertise its fares on other platforms, so its deals can only be found by using its site and search tool. Some foreign airlines also let customers pay in the airline's local currency, which can occasionally mean large discounts.

Put Bank Rewards to Work

An eligible bank account or credit card may allow miles and points to be redeemed on a last-minute flight. Booking tickets through a bank's travel portal, or paying directly with a rewards card, can produce big savings.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one example. Miles can be applied to a flight purchase to "erase" the charge within a set time frame. Each mile is worth 1 cent toward paid travel, and there is no minimum redemption amount. This works with almost all airlines, low-cost carriers included.

Browse Fare Deal Sites

Those planning ahead for a trip, particularly an international one, should look at sites such as Secret Flying and Scott's Cheap Flights. Finding cheap last-minute deals there can be harder, but they offer a good alternative for people who would rather hold on to their airline miles and points.

There is no reason to overpay for airfare. Travelers with flexible itineraries who can jump on deals as they appear could save hundreds of dollars. Start searching for cheap flights online today.