Travel Tips for Booking Last Minute Travel Deals

A great escape with friends and family is always a fantastic idea but depending on everyone’s travel preferences, you may or may not find a good deal if you wait for a last minute sell off. Last minute deals are dependent on several factors, one being the availability of vacation packages, as there may be a high demand, leaving a smaller selection of packages available for last minute sell offs. Therefore, by waiting last minute, sometimes you may miss the opportunity to have a vacation at all.   Here are some travel tips on how you can save when booking a vacation.

How To Save On Accommodations & Packages

Last minute deals on air only are less likely because regular scheduled airlines tend to increase their prices the closer you get to the departure date. Usually the most savings are in accommodations and packaged holidays consisting of:

• Preselected air travel
• Accommodations sold as a package by tour operators as opposed to buying separate travel components

Have A Flexible Schedule

If your schedule is flexible and you are just thinking you need a quick getaway to a sunny destination, then you should be fine. As long as you are not particular as to what destination you wish to travel to or are not looking to stay at a particular resort or even stay in a particular room type, a last-minute vacation package may be for you.

Book In Advance If Your Heart Is Set On A Specific Destination

If your heart is set on a certain destination and hotel with an ocean view room, you might be better to book in advance to ensure your trip meets your expectations for that perfect getaway. Consider that the most popular hotels and more favourable room categories are always the first to be booked and may no longer be available last minute or at a sell-off.

Try To Choose A Departure Date Mid-Week

Savings can also be achieved by selecting vacation packages that have flights that depart mid-week such as on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, as most people tend to book weekend departures.

Act Fast When Booking

Keep in mind that when looking for last minute deals, you usually have to move fast as the travel services can be snapped up in minutes and then will no longer be available. But in the rush of booking that incredible deal, make sure you have the proper travel documents for the destination you are booking. And, always consider purchasing travel insurance so that your holiday is enjoyable and worry free should something unexpected happen. Here are 3 travel tips to always travel with the proper documents.

Book with a TICO Registered Travel Agency

To verify if a travel agency or website is TICO registered, check our online directory. Take the TICO Traveller Quiz to see what type of traveller you are. Sign up to receive quarterly travel consumer protection email updates. For more travel tips and information, visit the Smart Traveller Guide. All travel agencies and websites located and operating in Ontario are regulated by TICO. Registered travel agencies and websites provide additional consumer protection for your travel investment that may not be available when booking with travel agencies and websites based in other countries or provinces. For more information about how TICO helps, click here. Any questions can be directed to tico@tico.ca or 1-888-451-TICO (8426).