Monday, January 13, 2014

The Myth of the "Last Minute Travel Deal"

Every year prior to the Holidays and then again in the spring, clients call  looking for that elusive wonder - the "Last Minute Travel Deal". All of the hype about these "deals" can leave travelers feeling disappointed with what's actually available and confused about when to book their vacation in order to get the best possible pricing. Here are a few facts that advertisers won't tell you about their "last minute deals":

1) These "deals" are rarely available for popular destinations during peak travel times. If you are planning on going to the Caribbean in the winter or spring or thinking about Europe for your summer trip, you most likely will not find a "last minute" deal that applies.These deals are more likely to be applicable to off-peak travel (think winter in Europe or the Caribbean in the summer).

Confused Felipe
2) The "deal" may be only for a particular resort or cruise and does not take airfare into account. Yes, you may find a great deal on a Caribbean Cruise leaving from Miami or Fort Lauderdale in the middle of spring break, but if the last minute airfare from your gateway is over $1000 per person, the bottom line doesn't end up being much of a deal.

3) The airfare that is included may be very undesirable in order to get the best possible rate. The air itinerary may include multiple stops or travel in the wrong direction. You may even be forced to overnight at one of the layovers. For example the least expensive air itinerary included in a "last minute deal" from Hartford, CT to Punta Cana contained a flight north and west to Toronto, an onward flight to Montreal, and then a flight the following morning to Punta Cana. Total trip duration: 21+ hours.(A non-stop flight is less than 4 hours.). Do you really want to spend your valuable vacation time crisscrossing international borders and waiting in airports?

4) You may need to be very flexible about your dates, destination, and where you stay.  The available destinations may not be your ideal location, and the resort or cruise-line may be at a different level than what you are used to. If you have your heart set on travelling to St. Lucia and staying in a 5 star luxury resort, the special for the 3 star property in Cancun may not be good experience for you. The fact is is that the properties and cruse-line openings that are available as "last minute" bookings are the ones that still have space. The desirable and popular ones book up well in advance. Is the experience you end up with in these "deals" going to be worth your hard-earned vacation dollars?

5) You really should book your travel at least four to six months in advance to get the best pricing. Resort pricing tends to go up as the resort fills up. The same rules generally apply to cruises. "Early booking" rates are often the most attractive rates, and if the pricing does go down, a travel agent can often get you the lower rate. Airfare rates for international travel are often the best for travel that is at least 4 months away - longer for peak travel dates. For example, if you would like to travel to the Caribbean in the spring, flights will fill up and airfare will likely be higher if you aren't purchasing at least 4 months in advance. And if you want to travel for specific dates over the winter Holidays (Christmas and New Year), consider purchasing nine months (or more) in advance.

We care deeply about your travel experience and can almost always find some of the best available pricing for your trip, but for last minute travel, keep in mind that your desired resort or destination may not be available. If you are flexible about your dates, flights, and budget and ready to consider some "creative" destinations or itineraries, we can almost certainly help with your plans.

Fun 'n Sun Travel & Cruise provides friendly, personal, professional service in order to plan each and every client's dream vacation, destination wedding, honeymoon, or cruise at one of the best prices available. Call us at 1-855-557-5588, visit us on the web at fnstravel.com, or email us at info@fnstravel.com.