Travel Tuesday Is Here: $38 Flights + Expert Tips to Score Cheap Deals!
Here’s how to get cheap flights if you need to get out of Dodge and fast!
Today, December 2nd, is Travel Tuesday – the Black Friday of travel deals! We’re sharing everything you need to know to score a hot Travel Tuesday deal, plus tips on how to get cheap flights at any time of year!
Here are some hot travel deals you can score today, December 2nd:
- Allegiant Air – Today only, get up to 40% off all routes, with one-way fares from $38.
- American Airlines – Today only, book one-way domestic flights from $46 and international flights from $263.
- Delta – Through December 3rd, snag hot savings on flights with round-trip airfare from just $119.
- Expedia – Today only, save up to 75% on Travel Tuesday flash deals.
- Frontier Go Wild Pass – Fly unlimited to 100+ destinations now through April 2027 for just $349 (reg. $599).
- Great Wolf Lodge – Save up to 65% on your two-night stay with promo code TRAVEL (via Groupon).
- Hilton – Through December 15th, save up to 25% on your stay.
- Hotels.com – Today only, save 75% at select properties.
- Hyatt – Through December 11th, World of Hyatt members can save up to 30% at select hotels worldwide.
- JetBlue – Through December 3rd, get 35% off flights with promo code SAVE35.
- LEGOLAND California – Get up to 63% off single-day tickets + a second day FREE (via Groupon).
- Marriott – Today only, Marriott Bonvoy members can save 20% on their stay, or 25% when booking through the app.
- Norwegian Cruise Line – Today only, get 50% off all cruises plus FREE pre-paid gratuities.
- Southwest – Through December 4th, save 50% on base fares with promo code 50CYBER.
Looking to book some last-minute travel this holiday season?
In an ideal world, we’d always be able to follow the best travel timeline to score the most savings on your flight. But unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned.
Life happens, and whether it’s a flight that gets canceled at the last minute, a family emergency, or an impromptu getaway, we all find ourselves in need of a cheap, last-minute flight at one point or another.
Booking a flight on short notice can be significantly more expensive than buying tickets way in advance.
Luckily, we have some tips and tricks for how to get cheap flights at the last minute!
1. Instead of booking through a third party, call the airline directly.
Not everyone is traveling for fun or vacation. In some cases, airlines will accommodate folks who need a quick flight for bereavement purposes and offer lower fares for those traveling for the loss of a loved one or other urgent situations. In this case, you may qualify for a cheap last-minute flight. These prices aren’t usually advertised online or while booking through third-party websites, so it’s best to call the airline itself.
Keep in mind that several airlines only post limited fares on third-party sites or avoid them altogether. To ensure you see all the best rates available, consider booking directly through your preferred airline, even if you’re not making last-minute travel plans.
Note: Most airlines that offer bereavement fares do so in the form of coupons, flat-rate discounts, waived fees, etc. However, each company will have its own unique procedures, so be sure to inquire about their policy.
2. Check third-party sites for mistake fares and other fantastic deals.
There are several great sites you can use to find ridiculously cheap “mistake” fares, and if you’re lucky enough to find one going to your destination, you can sometimes save up to 90%!
These mistakes are often a result of human error, communication or technology issues, and currency conversion miscalculations. They aren’t super common anymore, but they do happen every few weeks.
Just keep in mind that since 2015, airlines are not mandated to honor their mistakes. However, they aren’t able to charge you more without your consent. According to Going.com, these mistake flights are only canceled about 10% of the time, so it’s not a bad idea to try to scoop the low rate!
Even if you don’t find a mistake fare, these third-party sites are worth a look as they do promote legitimate deals and cheap airfare.
Some of our favorites are Going.com, SkyScanner, and Google Flights.
While we find that Going.com is generally more useful for people living near larger cities or airline hubs, Google Flights can show you some surprisingly cheap airfare prices if you’re willing to move the dates around by a day or two. It’s also capable of finding deals departing from anywhere, so it’s super helpful for people who live far away from large airports.
Hip Tip: We’ve been checking Going.com for years, and see a lot of departures from the D.C., New York City, and Boston areas. If you live in one of those cities, definitely check them out!
3. If you want a last-minute vacation and don’t care where you go, Google Flights Explore is the best tool out there.
We mentioned Google Flights in the last point, but their Explore feature is so neat that it deserves its own section!
While this method probably isn’t the best for those set on a particular destination, it’s absolutely perfect for flexible travelers who want to go on vacation ASAP & don’t have a specific place in mind. In fact, being flexible on your destination makes finding last-minute deals on flights a cinch!
Here’s how to find cheap flights:
- Visit the Google Flights Explore page. Note that there’s no Google Flights app, so this is probably easiest to access on a desktop.
- In the upper left-hand section, determine your travel parameters: round-trip or one-way, number of passengers, departing airport, price range, etc.
- Click the calendar icon to determine travel dates. You can be as vague or as specific as you’d like. If you want a flight for a specific week, you can add those dates. Or you can go to the “Flexible Dates” section and let Google show you all your options based on the chosen price range.
- Check out the top filters. You can filter out flights based on the number of stops, travel mode, interests, airlines, carry-on bag restrictions, and more! Of course, the fewer filters you apply, the more likely you are to find results fitting your price range.
And that’s it! It’s worth it to play around with the features and dates until you hit the sweet spot that fits your budget. We’ve had team members use Google Flights Explore to get super cheap, last-minute (we’re talking like 2 days’ notice 🙃), round-trip tickets to San Juan, Miami, Phoenix, and more. This is especially a steal if you’re located near a smaller airport (though we’ve seen deals for large airports, too).
Plus, we always use this search tool for flights–even ones that aren’t last-minute! It’s the perfect tool for figuring out the best time to buy plane tickets, no matter what your schedule looks like.
4. Check sites like TravelZoo, KAYAK, and Hopper for cheap last-minute deals on flights, and don’t forget to set price alerts.
We’ve also used Hopper for flights, hotels, and even car rentals! It has a great feature that tells you whether you should wait for a price drop or buy now. Although we have no idea how they have these spot-on predictions, it’s usually accurate. Even if you find a better deal elsewhere, it’s helpful to use Hopper so you know when to buy!
Other sites to find last-minute deals on flights are KAYAK (similar to Hopper) and TravelZoo, which posts some pretty fantastic last-minute travel deals on vacations, hotels, airfare, and car rentals. This site is best used when you want to go somewhere but are flexible on the destination.
Most of these sites allow you to sign up for price alerts. When the price of a fare drops, you’ll be the first to know. If you’re looking for cheap last-minute flights, definitely make sure to sign up for these notifications!
5. Check rates at the airports near you.
One simple way to find cheap flights is to check all the surrounding airports in your area. Just because they are close, does not mean the rates are the same! You may find some easy savings by driving a few extra miles to the next airport.
6. When packing light, book with discounted airlines.
If you’re traveling with just a personal item and don’t care where you sit, discount airlines such as Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant may be your best bet! These airlines offer random seating, a personal item, and a discounted price. If you’re traveling light, this is one of the easiest ways to get cheap flights.
Note that sometimes additional charges for bags, seats, wifi, and more are significantly higher than typical airlines, so if you’re planning on purchasing that, it’s best to consider an airline ticket that may already include a seat and carry-on luggage.
7. Consider getting two one-way tickets instead of booking a round-trip.
It might seem strange, but when checking for last-minute flight deals, don’t forget to search the prices of two one-way tickets instead of going straight to a round-trip. This is a huge tip for scoring cheap last-minute flights!
When it comes to cheap last-minute flights, you’ll sometimes find that two tickets cost less than one entire travel plan, especially if you’re browsing between multiple airlines. This also allows you to extend your trip more easily if need be.
8. Tap into your rewards to get last-minute deals on flights.
If you need to catch a flight like yesterday and don’t have time to fuss around with trying to save a dollar here and there, it’s the perfect moment to tap into your credit card rewards and use up those miles. Even if the flight is on the pricier side, using your points will likely shave a good chunk off of the total price.
If you’re not sure which credit cards offer the best travel rewards, check out Nerd Wallet’s round-up of the best travel credit cards.
9. One way to get cheap last-minute flights is to book at a time when no one else wants to fly.
If you don’t have any wiggle room when it comes to the day of departure, try compromising on your takeoff time. Flights that leave either really late at night or super early in the morning are sometimes cheaper than those leaving at a more conventional hour.
That said, it’s sometimes possible to find great deals on cheap, last-minute flights leaving around dinner time (about 5-7 pm), so take a few extra minutes to shop around.
10. If you can avoid it, don’t fly on the weekend.
This is one of the golden rules of cheap airfare in general, but flying on days like Friday and Sunday is almost always going to be pricier. Sunday may not be a good time to fly, but it generally is a good time to check rates and buy a ticket.
If you can swing it, fly sometime between Monday and Thursday to avoid paying even more on top of the last-minute fare prices. Domestic flights leaving on Tuesday or Wednesday usually have the lowest fares. As for international flights, departing on a Wednesday or Thursday tends to be the cheapest.
11. Flying in a group? One way to get cheap flights is to search for each ticket separately.
Are you traveling with multiple people? You might not find the best last-minute deals on flights when searching for multiple tickets at once. Instead, search for a single ticket. That’s how to find cheap flights. You might have to sit separately or fly at different times, but you’ll most likely save some money!
12. Consider splitting up your payment.
Have you guys heard of Buy Now, Pay Later services? They’re essentially short-term loans that allow you to buy something right now and pay it off in future installments. It’s sort of like a credit card, except the BN/PL services usually nix the interest rates.
For example, one of our Hip readers was able to use PayPal’s Buy Now, Pay Later service to split up payments on a last-minute flight with Southwest!
Several airlines, including Southwest and Alternative Airlines, are now allowing travelers to use Buy Now, Pay Later services to purchase flights. It’s a really neat service, and while it doesn’t necessarily make flights cheaper, it does remove a bit of the sting that comes from paying more for last-minute flights.
Note: While every airline may not offer this option, Buy Now, Pay Later services are becoming more and more popular, so it’s worth a call to ask about the service even if it isn’t explicitly offered while booking online.
Hip Tip: Remember to keep up with all of our travel deals to score some unexpected savings!
13. It’s tempting to skip travel insurance, but it can really save your last-minute trip.
Having to pack up and leave at the last minute is stressful enough. Spending a little extra for travel insurance is often totally worth the peace of mind you get from knowing your plans are protected. Plus, it usually won’t set you back too much.
Every airline will have different policies, so be sure to check their individual programs to see if travel insurance is worth the cost.
14. When you just can’t find cheap last-minute flights, look for savings elsewhere.
So maybe you really need to catch a last-minute flight, but it’s just not possible to find a deal no matter what you try. In that case, look into reducing your costs elsewhere!
Plenty of hotel chains, like those owned by Intercontinental Hotels Group, Hilton Hotels, or Hyatt Hotels, offer rewards and points for frequent visitors and rewards program members. And if you travel a lot for work, chances are you have some hotel loyalty points saved up. If you can’t avoid paying extra for a flight, try redeeming your hotel points to at least reduce the cost of your stay.
You can also shave the cost of car rentals with similar loyalty programs like those offered by AAA or even Costco!
Another way to save is to inquire about last-minute upgrade offers. You can ask in person or check the airline’s website. Cheap upgrades aren’t that common anymore, but they can still happen! You might just score a deal on a better seat. You may also be able to eliminate your TSA PreCheck fee using your credit card rewards.
Another money-saving trick is to check the price of your already booked flight. Many airlines have eliminated change fees. That means if you booked a flight for $450 and the price is now $300, you might be able to get an e-credit for the $150. According to The Points Guy, you can score an e-credit at several major airlines!
And lastly, if you’re going on a shorter trip, eliminate luggage costs by only bringing a carry-on bag. This has been a game-changer for Collin! That one step alone can save you anywhere from $35-$50 per person. 🙌
Pssssst! We happen to have some tips to keep you from overpacking. 😉
Planning a trip? Check out these 30 must-have travel accessories!
Colin’s travel backpack was mentioned quite awhile ago as well. I bought it then and honestly BEST purchase I’ve ever made. I’ve used it on multiple plane trips as well as road trips! It’s perfect size, so many pockets and comfortable as well! Perfect for moms or solo travel!!!’
I don’t remember catching that post. Would you mind giving the link or description of that backpack? Thank you!
Hi there! It is linked above in the 2nd and 3rd links in the post. You can find it here.
I use an app called “hopper” to compare flights
One of my favorite way to save on flights is when flying the budget airlines Allegiant, Spirit and Frontier, it’s cheaper to purchase at the airline counter at the airport than online. I typically save about $20 each flight, per person. It’s the Passenger Usage Charge that you don’t pay by purchasing at the airport. You can go all the way through the online booking to just before you confirm to see the breakdown to know exactly how much you’ll save. We live super close to the airport so it’s not an inconvenience to drive there. I typically drive and my husband runs in to the ticket counter to make the purchase while I wait in the cell phone lot. Things to keep in mind: These airlines don’t always have their ticket counter staffed so you need to make sure that they have a flight taking off within 2ish hours of when you’ll be there so they’ll have the ticket counter open. Again, we live really close so it’s no big deal to just drive over and check. Also, they are budget airlines for a reason. They charge separate to select your seat, for carry-ons and checked bags as well as for drinks and snacks. We use them for quick weekend trips and have learned to pack lightly using their free personal item to avoid the bag fees. We also check in right at 24 hours and have never had an issue being seated together but go into it knowing that we’re not guaranteed seats together unless we pay for them. We also bring our own snacks if we think we’ll need them and bring an empty water bottle to refill once we get through TSA (I like having my own reusable water bottle for travel anyway.). If you know what you’re getting, the budget airlines can be an amazing deal!
One of my favourite ways to save money on flights is to fly low-cost airlines like Southwest Airlines, Spirit and Jetblue it’s less expensive to buy from the airline counter at the airport rather than buying on the internet. I usually save around $20 per flight per person. This is the passenger usage charge which you do not pay when you purchase at the airport. It is possible to go via the reservation VootFLy online Travel Agency process to just before you confirm , look over the breakdown to find out precisely how much you’ll save. We are located in close proximity to airports, so it’s not a hassle to drive to the airport. I generally drive and my husband walks to the counter for tickets to purchase the ticket while I sit in the cell phone parking lot. Important to remember The airlines might not have their ticket counters manned therefore you must be sure they have flights departing within two hours of the time you’ll be arriving so that they have the counter open. Also, we’re located close to the airport, so it’s not a big issue to drive up to check. Additionally, they’re low-cost airlines with a reason.
We’ve started only searching for one way tickets as it almost always ends up being cheaper – usually by using two airlines. Works great for using airline points when you don’t have enough for the entire flight too. Flying midweek is always cheaper too (although with last minute flights, it may not work out.) Last year my DH and I took a trip from a Wednesday – Wednesday and the tickets were so much cheaper. Thanks for all the tips!
Hi Tracey!!! You’re Welcome and thanks for sharing what has worked for you!!❤️
I find getting the airline’s gift card at a discount somewhere to be an additional savings. Recently Costco had the $500 Southwest gift cards for $430. That really saved our family on last minute flights when my mom was in a horrible wreck across the country. Normal they’re $450 at Costco for a $500 gift card. So that’s automatically $50 off anyway, all the time. Easy savings.
Oh nice! Thanks for that tip! 🙌❤️Good to know how you’ve been able to save on travel!
Loved how you broke things down. The breakdown helped me a lot.!