Have you been looking into last minute travel deals? You are not alone as more and more budget conscious people who want and need to travel are looking for great prices on airfares, car rentals, hotels, and vacation packages. This article looks at the main benefits and disadvantages of booking travel at the last minute.
The Pros of Last Minute Travel
The main advantage is to save money. The primary reason that travelers often put off booking their reservations until the last possible moment is that it offers the opportunity to save money as compared to if they booked months in advance. And the money they save can either go toward other items for their trip they may not otherwise have bought or those savings might go right back into their bank account.
The second benefit enjoyed by last minute travelers is surprise and adventure. Many times vacationers find themselves drawn to states and countries they would have never considered as deals to such places become available at the booking deadline for a given package. This makes their travel more fun, more enriching, more exciting, and in the end, more satisfying then if they had selected a destination well in advance and did all kinds of planning right up to the departure date.
The Cons of Last Minute Travel
The main disadvantage of booking your trip late is the risk factor. For example, if you have had your eye on a cheap airfare for a week or so before you’re planning to leave, you may find that on the final day the price doubles or triples! In addition, the flight may sell out leaving you with no chance to get on board.
Another con is that you probably have to give up certain perks like sitting right next to your travel companion or getting a hotel that is in a more remote location than you would prefer.
Finally, there’s the stress factor. Booking your trip at the last moment is often filled with uncertainty, and that can lead to more stress than often goes hand in hand with regular travel as it is. So unless you can handle the added stress well, going last minute is probably not for you.
Last minute travel deals come offers its share of advantages on the one hand and a few disadvantages on the other. The key to figuring out if it can work for you is to weigh the possible benefits you can enjoy against the potential downside of booking your trip this way.