It’s logical to assume that last-minute fares should go down in price. After all, an empty seat generates nothing for an airline, so why wouldn’t they want to keep cutting the price as takeoff nears? Even $50 > $0, right? If you’re a regular traveler, you’ll be smart enough to know that the subject of this post is true, and kind of a “duh” moment. That seems like common sense, doesn’t it?
That was the conventional wisdom for decades. But beginning in the early 1970s, airlines began realizing that people booking last-minute flights generally weren’t vacationers. Instead, it was businesspeople who didn’t schedule meetings months in advance the way leisure travelers schedule vacations.
Well, as ever, just like us mortals, the airlines must also try to squeeze blood from a rock, as well, maximizing their profits in order to stay alive and so will tweak prices, perhaps even several times per day, or even using supercomputers to shuffle the results. The takeaway for us leisure travelers: Don’t count on cheap last-minute or standby flights popping up. Instead, expect that last-minute fares will skyrocket.
But here is a way to get smart and find the best prices. Going (formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights) are your army of smart shoppers, looking out for you.
Close out all those tabs. Turn off your incognito window. At Going, the most exciting flight opportunities find you. Here, we lean into the unexpected possibilities of a really good deal. You’ll be amazed by how much further you go (and how much money you save). Celebrate the destinations that surprise you and the trips that don’t break the bank. Let’s get Going, together. Content courtesy of our affiliate friends, Going.
Click here to join.