Dallas—If you’re looking for a quick getaway or need to travel immediately, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines could get you there for under $300 on short notice, according to a recent study.
An average last-minute, one-way ticket on Southwest is $233.72, based on Google Flights data over two weeks in February. On American, for the same time period, the average price was $282.61.
“Purchasing a last-minute airline ticket can be stressful and expensive,” said Alex Miller, founder of Upgraded Points, on its website. “However, by choosing the right airline, you can save money and enjoy a more comfortable travel experience.”
According to travel website Hopper, travelers are planning trips more last minute than ever before.
In Hopper’s 2023 travel trends report, Hopper reported travelers are starting the travel planning process nearly 1.5 weeks closer to their departure dates for domestic trips, about a 30% reduction in travel planning time compared to prepandemic.
Hopper lead economist Hayley Berg said this trend has been “sticky” since the pandemic began. Tied into last-minute planning is more price sensitivity, she said.
“Even though that planning window is getting shorter, we’re seeing travelers coming back to check the price of their trip many more times than they have historically,” Berg said. “Planning more last minute, yet more price sensitive, which are two things that are working against each other a little bit for travelers and I imagine it’s causing a lot of frustration.”
Spirit Airlines topped the list as the best carrier to buy a last-minute, one-way ticket, averaging $170.09 during the two weeks in February. Delta Air Lines was the most expensive for a last-minute ticket, averaging at $369.12.
But flying cheap doesn’t matter much if there isn’t anywhere good to fly.
A flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco averaged $172.44 for the two-week period. Upgraded Points said it was likely because flights between the two cities typically take under an hour and a half, making this route an attractive option.
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