Tips to Plan a Last Minute and All-Inclusive Vacation
Everyone knows that planning vacations as far in advance as possible is the most sensible way to go. You tend to get exactly what you want, at a better price, the earlier you start arranging things.
But sometimes the urge to escape is just too strong, and you just can’t wait to take an all-inclusive cruise or jet off to some exotic beach destination last-minute.
Last Minute and All-Inclusive Vacation
So, even though last-minute vacations might not be the best way to find a travel bargain, they are sometimes inescapable. And while planning a vacation on the fly might make finding deals harder, it doesn’t make it impossible.
There are actually often significant benefits to flying off last-minute. With a little flexibility and some general preparation, you can often find amazing flights, awesome all-inclusives, and unbeatable deals, all at the 11th hour!
So read on and get the tips you need to plan the perfect, last-minute all-inclusive vacation!
Flexibility is key
The main piece of advice for planning successful and affordable last-minute vacations is to be as flexible as possible.
The more open you are about where you are going, when you are going, and how you are getting there, the better deals you will be able to find. Using flight aggregator websites and searching using the ‘Anywhere’ tab, as well as the ‘cheapest month possible’ feature will help you find awesome deals.
The absolute pinnacle of this concept is to turn up to the airport on the day you hope to fly, and wait for standby tickets to become available!
Aim for low season
An obvious piece of wisdom, but it is a lot cheaper to travel during low season than at peak times!
All-inclusive resorts and package vacations will often dramatically lower their prices for out-of-season dates, and you can pick up a bargain with ease.
So while ‘planning’ might seem to go against the idea of a last-minute getaway, try to avoid traveling over the peak times in the summer, at Christmas or Easter, or during school breaks.
Look at budget airlines
There are a surprising number of destinations that can be reached by budget airlines, and if you are happy to forgo free peanuts, free drinks, checked luggage, and extra legroom, then you can reduce the cost of your vacation enormously!
“One way to find cheap flights is to avoid direct flights. It might be a bit of a more tedious process, but it can significantly lower your travel expenses. So just keep in mind that being more flexible can pay off sometimes and don’t always assume that direct flights are the cheapest.” says Becky Moore from Global Grasshopper.
Go fully all-inclusive
All-inclusive vacations are often a great way to ensure a last-minute bargain, especially if you are traveling with kids. For starters, if an all-inclusive resort isn’t full, you might find that they are offering brilliant last-minute deals to entice travelers in to fill up empty rooms.
Additionally, if you are traveling as a family then the all-inclusive nature of these resorts means you can really take advantage of everything being paid for in advance, and go to town on all-you-can-eat buffets and fun activities and events.
Finally, for last-minute plans taking the all-inclusive concept to its fullest degree is often a great idea, with package vacations including flights, accommodation, food, and transfers often ending up far cheaper and easier to organize than booking everything separately.
Sign up for every deal
This is a great tip even if you aren’t planning a last-minute vacation, but for 11th hour trips, deals websites and vacation newsletters are a godsend. You might even find that the perfect deal dropping into your inbox is the exact catalyst you need to book your getaway!
So make sure you sign up for every deal, competition, offer, and ‘travel guru’ newsletter you can, and you’ll find that discovering great last-minute all-inclusive deals becomes a walk in the park!