Whether it’s some time in the mountains, by the sea or in an interesting city: holidays are the most beautiful time of year. Even booking the trip in advance triggers a lot of feelings of happiness. However, many ask about the best time to book. At the latest then, early-bird trips and last-minute trips come into play. Early bird trips are booked between four and six months before the start of the trip. They often offer their advantages to those who depend on fixed vacation periods. Last-minute offers, on the other hand, are particularly advantageous for spontaneous travelers.
Holiday Last Minute: Rich Discounts
For the German Travel Association (DRV), a trip is considered a last-minute trip if the binding booking is made no more than two weeks before the start of the trip. Shortly before the start of the trip, the various tour operators want to fill up their last remaining contingents. So they then offer holiday packages at particularly low prices – shortly before the start of the trip, rich discounts apply. And if you are a bit tight financially, there are now even loans with immediate commitment.
Last minute vs. remaining places
Unoccupied seats on the aircraft as well as free hotel rooms where vacancy is imminent are remaining seats. They are often offered at particularly reduced prices. After all, the respective tour operators do not want to be completely left with their costs. According to this, remaining places are particularly cheap last-minute offers that are booked spontaneously. Remaining seats including flights are temporarily offered with discounts of up to 50 percent.
The advantages of last minute holidays
Of course, the low price is the big advantage of last minute travel. In addition, spontaneous travelers can also check the weather conditions in the holiday destination due to the very short-term trip – then the last minute trip may have a sunshine guarantee. Statistics also show that due to the short deadlines, changes in flight times are also less frequent.
Where to find suitable last-minute offers
Departure times, destinations and hotel categories: If travelers are consistently flexible here, they meet all the criteria to make bargains in the last-minute segment. Daily updated prices are offered by tour operators and well-stocked remaining place exchanges.
Book last minute trips cleverly
Usually, prices for holiday offers are lowered about 1 – 2 weeks before the respective travel date. Sometimes the deadline is even shorter. The benchmark is often the lack of occupancy of flights and hotels. Therefore, last minute trips are generally offered all year round. However, particularly popular routes and hotels are often fully booked during the peak travel season, so there are no remaining places left. As a result, bookings should not be delayed for long, the offers are only available to a limited extent. Checking the websites of various tour operators as well as the various social media offers prove to be clever in order not to miss any last-minute bargains and remaining space offers.
By the way:
Comparative calculations of travel vouchers and offer discounts are worthwhile! Compared to euro discounts, percentage discounts usually bring more savings. In addition, less frequented destinations are cheaper, this also applies to the departure airport.
Once the right offer has been found, it is possible to book a last minute trip online up to 24 hours before departure. Taking into account existing precautionary and hygiene requirements at the respective destination, nothing stands in the way of such a spontaneous journey. Overviews of current entry requirements of the holiday countries can be found quickly online.
Cancellations are possible
Any trip can be canceled. In most cases, however, cancellation fees will be charged. The following applies: The shorter the cancellation, the higher the costs. Therefore, it is worthwhile to study the applicable conditions for cancellations in the respective conditions of the tour operator.
Tip: In certain cases, travel insurance with cancellation protection applies. They then pay the fees.
Last minute travel: Many advantages, but also a disadvantage
If you want to go on holiday spontaneously, in good weather and cheaply, you can travel with last minute offers at rock-bottom prices. Because the start of the trip is so prompt, travel cancellation insurance can be saved. The security conditions in the choice of the target country deserve attention. The disadvantage is the limited selection of destinations, flight times, hotel facilities and room categories.
So when it comes to selection and preparations, the following often applies: We don’t have time!
A conclusion
Comparatively higher discounts can be expected for last-minute offers. Leisure travellers who want to book both spontaneously and flexibly are well served with last minute travel offers. The only disadvantage is the smaller selection compared to other discount campaigns. This mainly concerns the peak travel season. On the other hand, there are often nice bargains in the low season!
However, if you are dependent on the peak travel season and are focused on a specific holiday destination as well as on a specific hotel, it is better to book early to ensure a nice holiday at the best prices.
