© Kirit Patel

Life is hectic and before you know it, half the year has passed and you haven’t taken a vacation or short getaway. Don’t waste another three-day weekend or your “use ‘em or lose ‘em” vacation days. If you haven’t planned a trip far in advance, it’s not too late – last-minute travel is always an option. Here are some tips on scoring money-saving deals.

• According to a February 21 article on Kiplinger.com, airfare and car rental bundles are a good way to save some cash when you’re booking a last-minute trip.

• If you’re willing to set sail on a cruise without planning very far in advance, consider booking last-minute – even for a quick getaway (many cruise lines have 3- and 4-day cruises). Kiplinger.com recommends checking with cruise lines for cancellations from early bookers.

• If you know you’re the type to book last-minute travel, keep an eye on e-mail alerts (such as Cheapflights’ newsletter) that you receive. Often, there will be a deal or two that must be booked within a week and can save you some cash.

• Check Cheapflights’ latest Flight News. When an airline expands its options for consumers or offers a sale, you’ll find that info here.

• Visit popular U.S. cities, such as Orlando, New York City or Las Vegas. There is never a shortage of cheap flights for these destinations so it’s possible to find a great last-minute airfare deal.

• Don’t follow the flock. If it’s winter, don’t head to the islands like everyone else. TimeOut Chicago recommends heading to colder locales, such as Denver and even San Francisco.

For more information on last-minute airfare deals, check out Cheapflights’ Travel Tips.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jennifer Jope

About the author

Pleasance CoddingtonPleasance is a British travel writer and online content specialist in travel. She has written for numerous publications and sites including Wired, Lucky, Rough Guides and Yahoo! Travel. After working for six years on content and social media at VisitBritain, she is now the Global Content and Social Media Manager for Cheapflights.

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