What are the drawbacks of Last Minute Travel?

Yesterday we talked about last minute travel deals and how they can help customers. However, when booking a last minute package, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Tickets/reservations are non-refundable – If you decide at the last minute (no pun, er, intended) that you can’t make your trip, chances are, you’re going to be out of luck. These hotels and airlines are strapped for customers – that’s why they’re offering the deal. Once you give them your money, there’s a good chance you won’t be getting any of it back.

No changes to package – Most times, packages are what-you-see is what-you-get. Unless stated otherwise, mixing and matching hotel rooms, optional rental cars, departure cities, etc. won’t work. If there are say, package ‘add ons’ – your airfare from Des Moines, Iowa instead of Miami, Florida, for instance – it can be prohibitively expensive. The best package deals are the ones they directly advertise – it’s the lowest price and that’s what drew you in. They can be a mixed bag – but keep looking! There may be too many open seats in Iowa next week.

You miss it, you’re out of luck – Make an extra, extra effort to make it to the airport on time. A missed flight could very well mean missed holiday. See above for reasoning.

However, if there’s a last minute special departing from your city, and you plan on not oversleeping your flight, last minute packages can be a great deal. Check out Booking Buddy for some current specials.