Life happens – and sometimes, before we know it, the timeframe in which we wanted to plan a vacation is suddenly only a couple of weeks, maybe even just a few days, out…yet, we haven’t planned that vacation. At Epperly Travel, we see and hear it all the time: HELP! We want to get away, but we’re short on time to plan it. The great thing about hiring on a travel agency to assist with your last minute travel needs, especially one that’s service based like Epperly, is that you don’t have to stress about the planning.
Regardless of whether you’ll be engaging the services of a travel advisor or planning your own last minute trip, we’ve put together 3 tips to make sure you have a fantastic last-minute getaway.
1. Define Your Top Priorities
As with any vacation, it’s wise to go in with an idea of what’s important to you. This is especially helpful when using a travel advisor: the more you can convey what you value, the better stewards we can be with your budget.
For instance: how important are the logistics, do you have to have a nonstop flight? If you know that anything short of an easy travel day will make or break this trip, list that at the top of your priorities. Just make sure that your priority list is not contradictory: if keeping a moderate budget is important but you don’t want anything smaller than a presidential suite, you’ll have an especially hard time achieving this, regardless of when you’re traveling, but truly when you’re up against more limited availability for close-in travel dates.
2. Flexibility is Key
When you’re planning for last minute travel, be mindful of the fact that you will not encounter wide-open availability for flights and accommodations. It’s wisest to remain as big picture as possible, but don’t get hung up on the small stuff. Big picture means – contemplate your overall experience, are you looking for toes in the sand, does the hotel need to be of a certain quality? Our job as advisors will be to get you as close to your priority wishlist as possible, but our top priority will be simply finding availability that matches your overall big picture goal. Planning last minute means that you won’t have the full pick of the litter when it comes to hotels, cruises or airfare – but, if you go in with an open mind, you’ll find that the options and opportunities are so much more enjoyable.
3. Act Fast
Pricing and availability on hotels and airfare are never more volatile than the days and weeks leading up to the travel dates. This means, if you’ve found something that you love, don’t wait around several days while you contemplate the decision and hope for the best. If you’re serious about taking this vacation and have found a hotel or flights that work great for you, jump on those as soon as possible. For many companies, full payments will be due in the 30-60 day window leading up to a trip, so you’ll also want to be in a place where you are prepared to make the financial commitment to securing your reservation.
From our perspective as travel advisors, we love when our clients are feeling spontaneous and need a last minute getaway – we’re always up for a great challenge! We even provide service options that allow us to prioritize last minute travel, ensuring that we bring your customized trip to life as quickly as possible, keeping you from stressing about the planning.
If you’re ready to plan your last minute (or anytime!) getaway, reach out to us today over our Request a Trip Form below!
