How to Find Last-Minute Cheap Flights: 7 Tips from Skyscanner

A last-minute vacation doesn't have to mean expensive plane tickets. Experts at Skyscanner have shared seven simple ways to help you find great deals even just a few days before your flight. Learn more about how to save money on airfare without sacrificing comfort

Order an insurance policy for safe travel to any part of the world

GET

Many tourists are convinced that it’s practically impossible to buy a cheap last-minute flight. In fact, this is one of the most common myths. Although in the summer of 2026, airlines faced rising costs due to higher jet fuel prices and the unstable situation in the Middle East, this doesn’t mean that all tickets automatically became more expensive. A flexible approach to booking, choosing the right dates, and using specialized search tools can help you find great deals even just a few days before your trip.

In this article, we’ll share the seven tips recommended by Skyscanner experts, explain when it’s worth changing your route or airport, discuss why it’s not always cost-effective to buy a round-trip ticket from a single airline, and show you how to use search engine features to reduce your travel costs.

In our previous article, we discussed how to choose safe accommodation, avoid mistakes, and book a hotel without unnecessary expenses.

Planning a trip abroad and want to protect yourself from unforeseen situations?

Travel insurance from Visit World will cover medical expenses, flight delays, and lost luggage in any country. Get a policy online in a few minutes and travel with confidence!

Why aren’t last-minute tickets always the most expensive?

There’s a common belief that the closer the departure date, the higher the ticket price will be. In reality, the cost of air travel is determined in a much more complex way. Airlines constantly adjust their fares based on demand, flight occupancy, competition on the route, and other commercial factors. That’s why you can sometimes find great deals even just a few days before departure.

At the same time, Skyscanner experts emphasize that you shouldn’t count on random price drops. It’s much more effective to use the right search strategy, which will help increase your chances of finding a cheaper ticket even in the middle of peak travel season.

Among the key factors that can help you save money are:

- Being flexible with your travel dates

- Considering alternative departure or arrival airports

- Not limiting yourself to a single airline

- Using special tools to find the cheapest options

- Comparing different routes and flight combinations

According to Skyscanner representatives, flexibility during planning is one of the most important factors that can significantly reduce the cost of airline tickets. In the following sections, we’ll look at each of the seven recommendations in more detail.

Learn more about the world’s most beautiful airports in 2026 according to the Prix Versailles ranking by following the link.

1. Be flexible with your travel dates

Even shifting your departure or return date by just one or two days can significantly affect the cost of your ticket. This is because demand for flights fluctuates throughout the week, and airlines regularly adjust their fares based on flight occupancy.

Skyscanner advises against searching for tickets only for a specific date. Instead, it’s worth checking prices a few days before and after your planned departure. In many cases, the difference can amount to tens—and sometimes even hundreds—of euros.

To do this, it’s recommended to use the “Whole Month” feature, which shows flight prices on different days and helps you quickly find the cheapest date.

Experts also advise looking for flights during less popular times or days of the week when demand is lower. If your schedule allows for flexibility, this significantly increases your chances of finding a good deal even shortly before your trip.

2. Consider alternative airports

Another way to cut costs is to not limit your search to just one airport. In major cities and tourist regions, there are often several airports, and the difference in ticket prices between them can be significant.

Skyscanner recommends checking flights not only to your main destination but also to neighboring airports. Sometimes, flying to another city and then taking a short trip by train, bus, or rental car is significantly cheaper than a direct flight to a popular tourist hub.

When searching, it’s also worth enabling the “Add Nearby Airports” option. This automatically includes alternative departure and arrival options in the results, which increases the number of available offers and helps you find a lower price.

This approach is especially useful when traveling to major European cities, where there are often several international airports nearby, each served by different airlines and offering different fares.

In a previous article, we discussed Europe’s “trap airports”—the destinations where travelers actually end up after purchasing cheap airline tickets.

3. Don’t rule out connecting flights

Direct flights are usually the most convenient option, but they’re far from always being the cheapest. If time allows, it’s worth considering routes with one or even two layovers.

According to Skyscanner, flights with layovers are often significantly cheaper than direct flights, especially on popular international routes during peak travel season. In addition, the selection of such routes is much wider, which increases your chances of finding a good deal even just a few days before departure.

However, experts advise carefully evaluating not only the price but also the total travel time. Before booking, you should check:

- Whether there is enough time for the layover

- Whether you’ll need to go through passport control or customs again

- Whether your luggage will be transported to your final destination

- Whether the route involves changing airports in the layover city

If all these conditions suit you, a connecting flight can be a great way to significantly reduce your airfare costs.

4. Don’t limit yourself to a single destination

If your main goal is to go on vacation rather than visit a specific city, it’s worth broadening your search. Sometimes tickets to neighboring countries or less popular tourist destinations are significantly cheaper than those to the most famous resorts.

Skyscanner recommends using the “Explore Everywhere” feature. To do this, simply leave the destination field blank or select the “Everywhere” option, and the service will show you the most affordable destinations from your departure airport.

This approach has several advantages:

- It lets you quickly find countries and cities with the lowest prices for your desired dates

- It helps you discover new destinations you might not have considered before

- It makes it possible to plan a budget-friendly trip even during peak travel season

According to Skyscanner experts, sometimes changing your destination can save you more than spending a long time searching for discounts on a specific route. If you haven’t made a final decision yet, this search method can be one of the most effective.

In a previous article, we reported that Ryanair is launching new routes from Warsaw and Bratislava.

5. Mix and match airlines

Many travelers automatically search for a “round-trip” ticket with a single airline. However, this isn’t always the most cost-effective solution. In some cases, it’s cheaper to buy two separate tickets, choosing different carriers for each leg of the trip.

Skyscanner automatically compares such combinations and can offer options that cost less than a standard round-trip ticket. This is especially true on popular European routes, where low-cost carriers and traditional airlines compete with each other.

At the same time, experts advise carefully reviewing the terms and conditions of each ticket separately. Before booking, you should pay attention to:

- Rules for carrying carry-on and checked baggage

- Possible fees for changing the date or canceling a reservation

- The time between flights, if the itinerary involves a self-transfer

- Refund policies in case of a delay or cancellation of one of the flights

This approach requires a bit more attention during planning, but in many cases it can significantly reduce flight costs.

6. Turn on price change alerts

If there are at least a few days left before your trip, don’t rush to book the first ticket you see. Skyscanner recommends setting up Price Alerts to receive notifications about price changes for your desired flight.

The service automatically tracks your selected route and sends a notification if the price goes up or, conversely, goes down. This allows you to react quickly and purchase a ticket at a more favorable time.

At the same time, experts emphasize that this tool does not guarantee that the price will definitely go down. If there’s very little time left before departure and you’re satisfied with the fare you’ve found, waiting too long could, on the contrary, lead to higher prices or tickets becoming unavailable.

Therefore, price alerts should be used as an additional tool for monitoring the market, combining them with other recommendations—such as flexible dates, alternative airports, and different route options.

Learn more about the Top 10 Best Airlines in the World by following the link.

7. Check all available options in a single search

Skyscanner’s final tip is not to limit yourself to a single search scenario. To find the best deal, compare different combinations of dates, airports, airlines, and routes. It’s this comprehensive approach that most often helps you find a deal that wouldn’t appear during a standard search using fixed parameters.

Experts recommend not rushing to book after your first search. Instead, try out several options by adjusting individual travel parameters. Even small adjustments can significantly affect the final cost of your flight.

To increase your chances of finding a cheap ticket:

- Compare prices for different dates

- Check alternative airports

- Consider both direct flights and connecting flights

- Combine offers from different airlines

- Use the Whole Month, Everywhere, and Price Alerts tools

Skyscanner notes that there is no universal formula for finding the cheapest tickets. However, combining these tools with a willingness to be flexible significantly increases your chances of saving money, even when booking at the last minute.

No matter how well thought-out your itinerary is, there is always room for force majeure when traveling. Unexpected medical expenses, transportation delays, or luggage problems can ruin your plans and budget. Travel insurance helps you avoid unnecessary worries in such situations. You can apply for a travel insurance policy for a specific trip online at Visit World - quickly and without unnecessary bureaucracy!

Take out a policy online at Visit World and enjoy your trip without any unnecessary worries!

We remind you! Popular European tourist destinations are becoming increasingly crowded, so travelers are looking for alternatives without the crowds. In 2026, attention is turning to countries that remain off the beaten path but offer unique experiences, affordable prices, and an authentic atmosphere. Read more about 5 European countries that are rarely visited by tourists.

Products from Visit World for a comfortable trip:

Travel guide for 200 countries;

Legal advice from a local specialist on visa and migration issues;

Travel insurance around the world (please select the country of interest and citizenship to receive services);

Medical insurance all over the world.

We monitor the accuracy and relevance of our information, so if you notice any errors or inconsistencies, please contact our hotline