Here’s How to Score Amazing Deals on Last-Minute Holiday Travel

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Not a planner? Don’t worry. Keep reading to learn how you can still find deals on holiday travel by following these tips. 

Figuring out your holiday travel plans at the last minute isn’t the best thing for your personal finances. Most of the time, waiting until the last minute to buy that plane ticket or book that hotel will cost you more.

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But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to save as much money as possible by finding last-minute deals. Here are a few tips that could help.

1. Keep your travel dates up in the air

One of the best ways to save money on travel is by keeping your plans flexible. You can save a lot of money by being willing to fly on days when most people aren’t traveling.

For example, CheapAir.com says that flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday saves you the most money — up to $100 on a ticket compared to flying on Sunday. If you’re flexible on time, use sites like Google Flights to adjust your holiday travel dates to find the best deal.

2. Be flexible about where you’re going

If your goal is just to get out of town and you aren’t picky about your holiday travel destination, you’ll likely be able to find a decent travel deal. I quickly checked airfare prices through Google, departing from New York on Dec. 26 and returning on Dec. 29.

Google lets you choose “anywhere” as your destination, and I found a round-trip, non-stop flight to Boston with those dates for just $173.

3. Book your departure and return separately

Sometimes, you can save on your flights by booking two one-way tickets through different airlines or from various airports. You’ll have to spend some time finding the right flights at the best prices, but the time investment could help you score a lower airfare.

4. Download the app

A few months ago, when booking a hotel in Charleston, South Carolina, I did a lot of preliminary research on several booking sites, trying to find the best deals.

While comparison shopping, I saw Priceline promoting its app on its website and offering better deals inside the app. Sure enough, I scored a better deal by booking in the Priceline app than through the desktop website.

5. Spend time comparison shopping

Prices for hotels and flights can change quickly, so it pays to spend some time shopping around. Combine all the tips listed above and then use them across several platforms and apps to see which has the best prices.

Even if you don’t find a cheaper price after comparison shopping, you’ll at least know you’ve scored the best deal possible.

A bonus tip for saving money on holiday travel

Seasoned travelers will already know this one, but if you plan on doing a lot of traveling soon, you may want to sign up for a travel credit card. They can be a good way for frequent travelers to earn points toward flights and hotels.

If you find yourself booking flights or hotels regularly — and can pay down your balance each month — then earning rewards that can be redeemed for future travel plans could be a good option for your next trip.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Chris Neiger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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