Booking ‘last minute’

[AchesNPains]

If I haven’t booked yet for Easter is it worth holding on and hoping for an offer?

I usually book holidays a good bit in advance but that’s just not the way it’s worked out this year. I’m ready to book now - for a holiday in 6 weeks time. There seems to be plenty of availability from what I can see we are somewhat flexible in the sense that we could fly on any one of several different days, from several airports and airlines, have identified various suitable accommodations (I do have a specific destination in mind). Anyone have any experience leaving it ‘last minute’ in recent times - since 2022ish I mean. Might it get cheaper and when? Two weeks before? I know this is how long is a piece of string question so just wondering about people’s experience.

It is worth a try. I am not a person who usually books last minute as I prefer to plan but due to a planned holiday being cancelled I had to do this a few months ago. I saved a fortune and the holiday was great. It can work out well and trip advisor is your friend before you actually book anything. Booked 1 week before date of departure.

A week @Flomingho😬 that’s hardcore. I don’t know if my heart can take it. Thanks for the info though!

Ryanair flight prices plummet 5 weeks before and then shoot up again. I’ve been away the last two Easter’s for £50 return flights

I think you have to be super flexible in terms of where/when but deals can be found a week or so out, when companies are worried therell be an empty seat. I doubt there's many bargains to be had for school holiday dates but you never know. My dh flies loads for work and never quite knows when he's going, the flights are insanely expensive about 2-4 weeks before he flies. If he can find out where he's going a month before everything there's loads more choice and they're better pricing (these are for business cities though, so might be different for holidays). I think it's normally better booking far in advance, especially jet2 or tui type holidays as they have free child places and discounts plus you get your free pick of location/airports/times and dates before things sell out.

I think it depends where you want to go! We did a last minute (booked 2 days before departure) to Egypt a couple of weeks ago and saved 50% going with TUI. I think it helps if you are super flexible on airport/dates

It's a very much 'it depends'. I'm sure you'll find something and it might be cheaper or you might have to compromise to avoid it being more expensive than what's currently available. We've booked as little as a few days ahead and rarely more than 2/3 months and there doesn't seem to be a rule, it could go either way. Is the destination somewhere that's popular at Easter?

I don't travel at peak times but last November I went to Lanzarote, there was a particular hotel I wanted to stay in and it was cheaper to book separately rather than a package, so I booked both the flight and hotel in August. Annoyingly, the flight price dropped by nearly 2/3s such that I paid about £250 because when I was looking but if I'd booked about 2 weeks in advance it was about £90.

However, the hotel got more expensive such that I'd probably not have paid that amount and when I was looking to see what else was available, there wasn't very much, despite it being in mid November, so not peak season, but a decent amount of demand from people who want accessible winter sun and like me, don't travel in peak season.

Are you wanting a package or just a flight? I often book fairly last minute, and usually monitor the flight prices for weeks before booking and they are definitely very much supply and demand driven. I normally book flight only though, I don't book a package. Imagine the hotel portion of a package is fairly fixed, only the flight portion would fluctuate. The only time the sit and wait strategy didn't work out in my favour was last Easter when I was wanting to go to Florence and the flight prices went up and up and eventually sold out. We are looking at going away this Easter, I'm monitoring the flights prices and they are definitely falling at the moment to our destination of our choice. I'm going to book soon I think.

I once got an incredible deal when booking one day before

If there really was a universal rule on this - e.g. flights always get cheaper x weeks out then the airlines would rejig the dynamic pricing to stop folks using that drop to game the system..

As someone said upthread it's very much an "it depends"...popular destinations will sell well early, even sell out..

OTOH if a route/package isn't popular and the operator is looking at low sales with a week/month to go then you might see the price come down.

Where ever you book it's all about the flights as they are very much dynamic in pricing.
Most travel websites are using computer robots behind the scenes that have access into the carrier and it instantly holds and books the flights as you book the holiday.
Shorthaul you are looking at how flights are selling daily as to how pricing changes, longer haul on scheduled airlines usually ticket the flight between 6-10 weeks before departure so that's the last point people can cancel. If a bunch do then seats become available and then might be cheaper if they already had a light flight so you might pick up something at that point.

I think you have to be flexible. I've had decent UK stuff very last minute but I had too many restrictions on abroad ones (ie pool, close beach and certain countries) so may have saved a bit like for like, but as I wasn't specifically monitoring the package with that hotel I can't tell and it was still bloody pricey due to summer hols.