Ferdinando D'Agostino, a travel expert at Transfeero, said the most important thing for anyone hoping to book a last-minute holiday is knowing when and where to look.
Some destinations continue to have better late availability because of the sheer number of flights, hotels and package holidays on offer every week. Popular spots include Spain's Costa del Sol, the Algarve in Portugal, Mallorca in Spain, Antalya in Turkey, Crete in Greece and Rome in Italy.
With airlines using dynamic pricing and AI-driven forecasting to adjust prices based on demand, finding the best deal can now be harder than ever. Prices can rise just as quickly as they fall.
Best days to book a last-minute holiday
Experts have compiled a list of the most promising days to search for a deal.
- Tuesday: After the weekend booking rush, airlines and package operators often reassess demand and launch fresh promotional fares or discounts.
- Wednesday: Traditionally a quieter day for bookings, Wednesday can sometimes bring short-lived package discounts before demand picks up again.
- Thursday morning: Many travel companies refresh their offers ahead of the busy weekend, making Thursday morning another good time to compare prices.
- Sunday evening: While Sunday evening is one of the busiest periods for travel searches, greater demand does not always push prices up immediately, but it can reduce availability much faster.
Best times of day to search
The time of day can also make a difference, with inventory updates often happening overnight or during working hours.
- Early morning (6am-9am): Overnight inventory updates have usually been processed before most travellers start searching.
- Lunchtime (12pm-2pm): Some travel companies release newly updated package availability during the working day, so fresh deals can occasionally appear around lunchtime.
- Late evening (after 9pm): Airlines and booking systems may change inventory after the day's bookings, creating new availability.
The main advantage is not necessarily a lower price, but being among the first to see newly available deals before thousands of other travellers start searching.
