Nicolae Bochis · June 15, 2022 · 10 min read Are you planning your next epic trip to Cancun, Miami, Florida, or the Caribbean? Then, stop what you’re doing and check out the best sites for last-minute travel deals to get the most for your money.
In this article, we will explore sites and apps for finding travel deals where you can get significant discounts for your next flight, vacation rental, and car rental. Finding last-minute travel deals is simple nowadays if you know where to look. You can save a lot of money on your trip to Las Vegas or your family’s favorite vacation spot.
1. Last Minute Travel
As the name suggests, Last Minute Travel is all about the deals you can get on last-minute flights, hotels, cruises, and even car rentals. If you become a member of the Last Minute Travel Club for $50 per year, you can benefit from exclusive hotel deals available only to the members. You will also collect points that you can later use on free travel.
If adventurous, you will love the “Undercover Hotels” feature. Super low travel offers will keep the hotel’s identity a secret until you complete the booking. However, you won’t go through the booking process blindly. You’ll know the hotel’s general location, rating, and review score. With “Undercover Hotels,” you can get up to 65% discounts on your hotel room.
2. Priceline
Priceline lets you customize your travel package if you don’t like the hotel room or the flight times they have offered. But keep in mind that every change will come at a cost. That said, flexible travelers will be awarded Express Deals that give up to 60% discount on hotel stays. The only downside is that you won’t know the hotel’s exact location or name until after the booking is completed.
For those who don’t want to take the risk with Express Deals, Priceline offers a very detailed and easy-to-use map that shows all accommodations available for your last-minute trip. Once you hover the cursor over the location (labeled with the price), a pop-up display will tell you the hotel’s rating, name, and guest review score.
3. Kayak
Kayak is a search engine that will allow you to find flights, but you won’t book them with Kayak. The search engine will not charge any fees for the booking, and there are no hidden charges you need to worry about. You can use many filters that Kayak has to offer to narrow down the search to match your exact criteria.
Since you can’t book through Kayak, you won’t have any loyalty programs. However, if you are a frequent flier, you can earn airline points by searching for flights through Kayak.
4. Travelocity
Travelocity is a website where you can book everything you need for your last-minute trip. There are options to book a flight, a hotel, and a car, and if you choose a combination of two or more items, you’ll get a discount. You can even add excursions after you finish the booking process. Travelocity is a great platform to plan your whole trip.
Once you register on the Travelocity website, you will receive a 10% discount on hotel stays. The website also has a price match guarantee, which means that if you find the same hotel, car, or cruise on a different platform that offers a lower price, Travelocity will refund the difference.
5. Groupon Getaways
Groupon is a well-known online marketplace that offers its customers great deals. But many have wondered if last-minute vacation packages offered on Groupon Getaways are worth it. It is essential to know that travel agencies or individual travel agents run these travel packages, and they are fully planned. That means you will not be able to make any hotel, flight, or trip changes. However, if you’re a first-time traveler, this could be a great option for you.
International travel can be very stressful, and having it all planned out for you will take the edge off. But be aware that the dates are set in stone, and the accommodation might not live up to your expectations. The excursions can add extra costs on top of the price displayed for the travel package. Read carefully about what you’re buying and check for any hidden fees.
6. Travelzoo
Travelzoo will find the best deals from other websites, so you don’t have to search multiple platforms. It serves as a link between you and an appropriate booking website. Travelzoo has a vast database, and members benefit from special deals. However, these deals are time-limited.
The Top 20 Deals page changes every week, so you have access to only the best packages. The Travelzoo team tests these deals and verifies them. Some of the deals you find through Travelzoo are fully refundable.
7. Orbitz
Using Orbitz, you can find vacation deals that include any combination of flight, hotel, and car rental bookings. The website will even allow you to book accommodation for a part of your travel period. The search is very detailed, and you can browse hotels by their cancellation policy or specific amenities such as spas or free Wi-Fi.
Orbitz has its reward system for which you need to register. It will allow you to collect Orbucks which you will be able to spend on a hotel room. Orbucks can be collected through flights, travel packages, and hotel bookings through the Orbitz app.
8. Expedia
Expedia is both an online booking platform and a mobile app. Through Expedia, you will be able to easily find suitable vacation packages, cruises, hotels, excursions, flights, and car rentals. You can search for a vacation package by simply entering your desired location, duration of the planned trip, and the location from which you’re departing.
Expedia has a very generous reward system. You will get one point for every dollar spent on your travel plans (apart from flights). Flights will give you one point per $5 spent, but only if you hold a Silver or Gold membership. The points will be doubled if you’re booking through the mobile app. You can spend accumulated points to get free travel.
9. CheapOair
If you are in search of cheap flights, CheapOair might be the right solution for you. An online travel agency, CheapOair offers up to a 20% discount for booked flights. You can also book hotels through this online agency, and members can receive up to a 55% discount.
CheapOair also has a reward program based on a point system. You will receive your first 500 points just for signing up. Then, the site will add another 500 points to your account after your first booking, hotel, or flight. After you collect these initial 1000 points, each dollar spent through CheapOair will land you another 1 point. You can also opt for a CheapOair credit card that will add $7 for each dollar spent.
10. Google Flights
If you want a simple and clean search engine with some handy filters for finding last-minute flights, Google Flights might be what you’re looking for. Use the map view to see the prices all over the world. This is particularly useful for flexible travelers who don’t care much about the destination.
If you already have a set destination in mind, you can use Google’s price graph to find the dates that have the cheapest flights. Just keep in mind that booking is not done through Google. Instead, Google will direct you to the airline.
That said, Google Flights has a flaw that you have to be aware of. Sometimes it displays cheap flights that are no longer available.
11. Hoteltonight
Hoteltonight is a booking service that will allow you to find a hotel, book it, and go straight to it, all on the same day. This is a fantastic option if you’re searching for last-minute hotel deals. The service works both in web browsers and as an app for smartphones.
That said, Hoteltonight also lets you plan your last-minute vacation, not just book a hotel on the same day. It will allow you to book a hotel room up to seven days in advance. The later you book a room through Hoteltonight, the better hotel deals will be available.
12. Hotwire
Hotwire is a booking website that promises cheap travels that you won’t regret. You can book flights, hotels, car rentals, or any combination directly through Hotwire. They even have a mobile phone app. In fact, if you want the lowest possible prices, additional discounts are available if you book through their app.
The Hotel Rate tool will allow you to be adventurous and book an undisclosed hotel within a specific rating range. However, some hidden fees might be a problem with Hotwire, so read all the details carefully.
13. Airfare Watchdog
Airfare Watchdog is a great solution for people looking for last-minute flights or who are flexible with their travel dates. The company employs real people that will search various websites to provide you with the best flight deals possible.
The best feature of Airfare Watchdog is its capability to track the prices over time. If you sign up for air alerts, Airfare Watchdog will send you updates on flight prices through an email. This will help you decide when to book a flight to get the best deal.
14. Cruise Direct
Cruise Direct can be an excellent solution for people looking for affordable cruise deals. Last-minute cruise offers usually happen due to a cancellation. Someone opting out of the trip can be your way into a luxury room at great bargains. Keep in mind that prices will fluctuate depending on how long until the cruise departure.
Cruise Direct doesn’t charge booking fees, and it offers a price match guarantee. However, the website doesn’t offer any exclusive cruises to its users.
15. Tourradar
Tourradar is a digital travel agent with over 40,000 tours offered worldwide. From the Caribbean to the East Coast of Australia, Tourradar has so many travel sites and tours to offer. You can even personalize your family’s vacation by opting for a private tour that Tourradar will tailor just for you.
Last-minute deals are only a tiny part of what Tourradar has to offer. Using this online tour agent, you can spend less on your next vacation with Early Bird Savings and 2 for 1 deals. However, returning customers have no benefits as the booking is never done directly with the tour operators.
16. Booking.com
Probably the best of all accommodation booking sites, Booking.com will provide you with an excellent search experience with many filters to narrow down your next vacation spots. But Booking.com doesn’t limit itself only to hotels. It also gives you the option of choosing between apartments, entire villas, and some very unique properties at discounted prices.
Booking.com will also let you book flights, car rentals, airport taxis, various activities, tours, and museums. It also has a reward system called Genius that will give you a 10% discount if you book a hotel through their service twice in one year. You can get even bigger discounts and other benefits such as free breakfast, or free room upgrades with the Genius perks.
