Cheap flights for last minute and not so last minute

[dieselboy]

I've heard stories about people visiting air ports and buying last minute tickets to random places for next to nothing. Does this sort of thing still happen or is it a myth these days? I looked up prices for last minute flights to random destinations in Spain for the next weekend and they are pretty high, for example £100 each direction. I've seen Easy Jet advertise sub £40 per direction. I wont have any luggage except a carry on either.

Are those days over or am I looking in the wrong places?

[gary-r]

i fly a fair bit - never managed to get a cheap flight in an airport though - i usually trawl the int for a good price.

you can try in airports but its a bit hit or miss - you might be there for days and i'm not sure if you can still do it.

it usually takes me a few hours searching to get the best deals for the far east.the best prices are always booking weeks or even months in advance now - the days of the last minute stuff seems to have vanished. they advertise them but when you check its gone and you get re-directed to a full price seat.

[Rustinho]

The last time anyone I know managed to get last minute discount flights at the airport was before 11th September 2001. Since then I reckon the security changes will have stopped anyone getting straight onto a flight at the airport...

Shame really.

[dieselboy]

Yes, about getting those cheap online prices that are advitised. I had a lengthy "online chat" with a London 0207 based company (we even support a few) who advertised flights to Phoenix USA for a lower-than-average price of which when given specifics quoted well above average. He made some excuse of which I advised him to kindly insert into his back door never to be seen by myself again.

Thanks for the advice. I'll try and power up the time machine to visit the future and discover if I require a flight to then return thirteen months earlier and book said flights.

[slobodan]

Them ####y no-frills sh1theads work on the system of the first 20 seats sold are the cheapest, up until the last 20 seats sold which are the most expensive. with the seats in between going up in price incrementally.
As I never know where I am going til usually 2 or 3 days before, I always seem to pay top whack.
I think the big name scheduled flights are starting to do the same or similar now.

[Sancho]

The only real way to get cheap flights is to do a courier run, but it's not really worth the saving. There are bargains to be had on Easyjet and Ryanair if you don't care where you go. I spent a lovely weekend in Austria for £1 (for the flight) a few years ago.

If you want to go to Spain, I suspect you'll find some other people want to as well, so there won't be any cheap flights.

[wishbone]

It's always been that way - If you need to fly today you'll pay whatever it takes.

My missus used to work for ryan air and they always overbooked the flight as well - relying on at least 5 people not turning up.

[gwh200]

I never want to go to Spain again. There's only so many donkeys you can watch up a tower. I am therefore richer than someone who wants to go to Spain. I might spend the savings on sweets.

[dieselboy]

[Rustinho]

I never want to go to Spain again. There's only so many donkeys you can watch up a tower. I am therefore richer than someone who wants to go to Spain. I might spend the savings on sweets.

Isn't that Blackpool rather than Spain?

[schrodingers-cat]

Keep getting emails off www.cheapflights.co.uk. last week it was manchester to las vegas for a quid + taxes. Limited tickets were on sale from 10am

[GBV8]

Some of the domestic airlines are taking the plss big time now. Was going to buy a flight off BMI BABY yesterday from Cardiff to Belfast. £87 all in. Not cheap but not expensive either. Right at the end when I am selecting which card to pay with (Visa Debit) they ask for another £91.99 card payment charge. And btw this is thier cheap online price! Robbing c**ts.

[flounderbout]

Some of the domestic airlines are taking the plss big time now. Was going to buy a flight off BMI BABY yesterday from Cardiff to Belfast. £87 all in. Not cheap but not expensive either. Right at the end when I am selecting which card to pay with (Visa Debit) they ask for another £91.99 card payment charge. And btw this is thier cheap online price! Robbing c**ts.

£91.99 card payment charge? That must be a mistake surely...? Card payment fee is usually between £3 - 5. Are you sure it wasn't a card fee of £4.99 (which is still quite steep) taking the total to £91.99?

[dieselboy]

Seems like the FIA set the bar with card fees and people are trying to beat them!

[dieselboy]

Keep getting emails off www.cheapflights.co.uk. last week it was manchester to las vegas for a quid + taxes. Limited tickets were on sale from 10am

This is the company I tried who then forward you onto a 3rd party where the "deal" really is. Although there is no deal, just some carrot dangler at the end of a chat terminal making up numbers in his head and calling them offers.