Last-minute, end-of-summer travel deals are calling. And there are plenty of them. Now’s a great time to knock one more destination spot off your bucket list. So, let’s start planning.
First, think about all those places you always wanted to see. Make a list. Aside from this summer’s climate challenges—too hot in New Mexico, too smoky in the Pacific Northwest, too rainy in Kauai, etc.—the world is your oyster. It seems like the whole world is on sale, too. It will make your search much more efficient if you have some idea of where you’d like to go. Unless, that is, you’re a total dreamer, with deep pockets, and a hunger to just head out of town.
Second, get out your calendar and figure out a good timeframe for your expedition. Not just exact dates, but a range of days that would be acceptable for you to leave the comforts of home. You’ll find prices and options can vary, if you’re willing to switch days, avoid weekends or holidays, etc. Be flexible for the best deal.
Finally, let your fingers do the walking. An online search of traveler resources can prove very helpful. Don’t bother with ChatGPT just yet. Keep your mind open, you never know what you’ll find. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
One approach: your favorite airline. If you’re a frequent flyer of one set of wings, you might find total travel packages that might make your eyes pop with them. Like four nights in Las Vegas at the Luxor hotel for $340 per person traveling from Phoenix. Or $474 for the MGM Grand. Including air! You’ll find these and more under the Southwest Airlines Getaway guide. There’s also Cancun and Hawaii deals to explore. Southwest is interesting right now because, well, the “southwest” is still kind of toasty, so they want to tempt you. (All prices as of early August.)
United Airlines offers another way to focus your search. Right there on their home page is a tab labeled “Deals.” You can’t miss it. Once there, you’ll find deals organized by which United hub you live in: Chicago, Houston, Denver, San Francisco, etc. Deals like $845 for 3 nights in Honolulu from Los Angeles, or $1345 for 4 nights from Chicago. They’re all under the “Last minute vacation deals for the spontaneous traveler” category. And that’s you!
Another way to find discounted vacation deals is to look at what a “discount airline” might offer. Check out Jet Blue Vacations. Hawaii, Los Angeles, Miami, Puerto Rico; if you’re lucky enough to live in a Jet Blue city, you’ll find plenty of places to consider. Even cruises, too!
Maybe you have a favorite hotel chain and you’re a frequent “stayer.” Either way, you can find interesting last minute hotel packages through the corporate website. You’ll probably be on your own for airfare, but it still might work out.
With 21 different brands and 7,000 locations worldwide, a great source for last minute deals is the “Last-Minute Deals” page at the IHG Hotels website. You’ll have to zero in on a specific location to get the latest info. But they say you’ll save up to 20%.
Or try Hilton. Just plug in your destination city and indicate your possible discount category, such as AAA member, Senior, or Military, and you’ll find every Hilton member hotel in town. With rates around $200/night in New York. You’ll find more options here.
And then there are the aggregators, those organizations that exist on the Web that pool together travel deals from all over the internet. It can be almost mind-numbing to consider the options they often offer. There’s Priceline and Travelocity, and a few newer ones have been popping up on our search engines lately. One that says they cover all the rest for the best deals is booking.com.
Check them out.
One gambit some travelers use is to check prices and availability with an aggregator first then deal directly with the hotel. That way there’s no third party getting in the middle for any changes or cancellations.
Some additional sites that might work for you specialize in just “last-minute travel deals and flights.” You can see what they have to offer for “last-minute deals,” like $750 for 3 nights in Washington, D. C. from Chicago or “super thrifty flights,” whether you use cash or points.
And, if you really want to open up a dream book of travel ideas, one place you may have not thought about is Costco. It’s really quite amazing how many places and prices you can investigate here. Of course, you have to be a member, but isn’t everyone? If not, you could always convince a good friend who is a member to go along with you.
And don’t forget to include GO Airport Shuttle in your vacation plans. Don’t leave us until the “last minute.” Starting a great vacation always begins with us and now through August 31, you can save 10% on your airport transportation with promo code: SUMMER26.