Baltrum

Do last minute flight deals really exist?

I'm planning to travel from Singapore to Sydney in July, and I want to book the flights now, but my boyfriend says we'll get a better deal if we book it a few days/weeks before. I'm worried most of the flights will be sold out, but is it true that you can save a significant amount of cash by booking last minute?

Public Comments

1. it's called a stand-by, where you wait in the airport and hope there is a spot for you two.
2. The discounts may not be worth the stress if you do not get a seat on your chosen flight. I recommend searching Kayak.com (http://kayak.com) and SkyScanner.com (http://skyscanner.com) to get the best deals, and then book the cheapest one. Waiting will just make you worried, which is why you posted here in the first place. :)
3. nope , just stand-by & drop in flights ! its impossible to have a ''last minute'' flight. :/
4. I would book the tickets at least 14 days in advance and be done with it. Trying to wait until the last minute to buy the tickets will not guarantee a lower fare and can cause conflict in your relationship if the price does go up, which I anticipate it will if you wait too long.
5. You're right,; your boyfriend is wrong. Yes, last minute deals really exist. They can be great, if your time is flexible, for a spur of the moment trip to a random destination you might otherwise not have planned to go to. For a trip at at particular time, to a particular destination the risk is very high that either you will just not be able to go, or you will go but pay several times as much.
6. yes, but you may not get the day and time you want . And you may have to deal with 2 or more stops which can add a lot of extra time to your travel. You do save some money but in most cases it is not worth all the pains . And in your case since it is international you could have a problem getting two tickets . Last minutes deals are good when you are super flexible , If you wait too long to get a flight it could land up costing more than booking a few weeks ahead . Most of the airlines charge the same for the same flight and the price does not drop much.