Maybe you were so busy planning the wedding that you forgot all about planning the honeymoon . . . or maybe you’re just hoping to take advantage of the great deals available to people willing to plan their travel at the last minute. In either case, a last-minute honeymoon is in your future.
Why is it often cheaper to plan your honeymoon travel at the last minute? Because travel suppliers—airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and so on—like to operate at capacity. Empty seats and empty rooms cost the travel provider nearly as much as when they’re occupied, so if it looks like a spot is going to go empty, it makes sense to fill it—even at a deep discount. That’s great for the budget-conscious traveler. The catch, of course, is that travelers must be very flexible with their plans and choice of destination. Wait until the last minute to travel to popular destinations during peak travel times, and you’re going to pay a hefty premium. A spirit of adventure is a must; if you (or your spouse) is most comfortable with a well-planned itinerary, it might be best to save yourselves the stress and shell out a few hundred dollars for that extra sense of security.
Finding last-minute honeymoon deals
Most of the major travel distributors offer last-minute travel deals. Travelocity, for instance, has a section devoted to last-minute travel as does Expedia and Orbitz. There are also a number of websites that specialize in last-minute travel and travel deals; we’ve aggregated these in a list at the end of this article, to make it easier to check all the possibilities before you book. Besides these obvious choices, you can also go directly to travel providers: most of the major airlines have a page set aside for last-minute travel deals, as do the major hotel chains. Checking budget travel newsletters is a good way to find last-minute honeymoon deals as well.
So: sit down at the computer and start clicking! If possible, have your fiancé (or spouse) working at another computer nearby. Start looking at all the available last-minute honeymoon deals until you find a destination that looks good to you. Give yourself a deadline! If you end up spending hours looking for the perfect destination or the best deal, you’re probably going to end up pretty frustrated.
Finally, always read the fine print (the terms and conditions). It might look boring, but once you dig into it, you may find some of the restrictions extremely revealing about what you’re buying.
If you’d like to narrow down the possibilities for your last-minute honeymoon, check out TripAdvisor’s list of 52 of the world’s most romantic vacations.
Last-minute travel websites
Fodor: Last-Minute Travel
If you’re looking for destination ideas for your last-minute travel, as well as reporting on the latest travel trends, check out Fodor’s Last-Minute Travel blog. They have a recurring feature called “Where To Be in 30 Days.”
Budget Travel
Check this website for the latest deals and tips.
Travelocity: Last-Minute Travel
TravelZoo: Last-Minute Travel Deals
CheapTickets: Last Minute Trips
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