Many people do not fancy being late for their flights and would be at the airport as much as two hours before departure. Some others actually go all out to be late to catch that flight. There is one reason why the late comers prefer to be late goers – they get a big discount on their air tickets. As much as an average trader would love to sell all his wares before going home, so also do airlines would love to fill up their seats and depart with a full aircraft. Therefore, airlines would ‘bump’ extra passengers on overbooked flights with last minute air tickets to the next flight. In doing this, cheap discounts on airfares are offered in compensation or appreciation.

The art of bumping has come to stay in the airline industry. Depending on your destination and the time of year, getting a good discount on a last minute flight can be a big challenge. It is generally not recommended waiting to book a flight until the last minute. Booking a flight in advance of your travel date may get you less expensive airline tickets for your desired route but waiting for last minute airfares is sometimes not guaranteed to get what you want.

All of the major US airlines are offering cheap, last-minute travel deals and bargains. These cheap airfares are usually released late on Tuesday or early Wednesday morning, and are good usually for travels departing that Friday or Saturday and returning the following Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. Most airlines post the fares on their web site along with offering a free e-mail alert.

You are never required to volunteer to be bumped off a flight; it is for those who are all out to secure a cheap airfare. You can use other methods to get great discounts on airline tickets without waiting for last minute airfares that may turn out to disappoint you. Sometimes, you may not even get the much needed compensation that comes with last minute airfares if flying with some airlines. The best way to avoid being involuntarily moved to another flight is to make your seat reservations ahead of your planned travel date.


If you are traveling on more than one airline, consult with each airline to see if you can book your seats in advance. Even if it is an undesirable seat to you e.g. a middle seat, seats that are rows apart when you are traveling with other people, etc., at least it is a reservation and they can try to improve it at the airport.

The best bet to avoid being bumped to the next flight because of dirt cheap last minute airfares is to check in as early as possible. There are some who think you can get the best seats if you check in at the last minute, that they will bump you up to business class. This may happen in rare cases, but it is not a rule of thumb. Checking in at the last minute for a full flight often means a middle seat in the back row which is far from being comfortable on a flight with long hours in the air.

This is not to say that all flights are grossly oversold and people are being moved from their flights all the time. Certainly oversells occur more frequently at holiday times, but they can occur if other flights have been cancelled or if the aircraft has been downgraded, that is changed from a larger aircraft to a smaller one. But if your flight is filled up, and you don't mind lounging around in an airport, or traveling the next day it can be okay getting bumped.

You can increase your chances of getting a good and cheap last minute deal by being flexible about flight times, the airline and the airport from which you'll fly as well as the number of flights you'll take to reach your final destination. If you really want to save as much as possible on last minute flights, then prepare to be inconvenienced, there are no two ways about this.