Finding Last Minute Spring Break Airfare

It ain't over until it's over, and if you haven't made your spring break air reservations yet, take heart: use some smart tools to plan last-minute, affordable spring break air travel and save your cents for souvenirs and sangria.

Let's build the toolkit:

• Best spring break deals
• Budget Travel's "airport shopping" budget flight planning
• Student airfare finders

Spring break deals compared

Start by understanding spring break deals. A company advertising itself as a spring break specialist may be no such thing when it comes to domestic airfare, and an international "deal" package may be had cheaper if you want to do the homework. Check out a table comparing spring break travel agency flight and hotel deals with airfares from other megadeal airfare sources, especially student airfare finders.

• Understand spring break deals
• See spring break deals compared

Learn new tricks at old airports

About's Guide to Budget Travel, Mark Kahler, tells us that we may find a great domestic deal at a smallish airport: he uses a Cincinatti-Birmingham example -- by driving 100 miles to Lousiville, KY, instead of using the Cincinatti airport, he saves $218 (from $306 to $88 round trip). Wow - that would put wheels on the old adage, "Drive a little and save a lot." Look for deals at these smaller airports from smaller budget US airlines like Jet Blue, Skybus, Southwest, Spirit and Airtran. (Check Frontier for decent deals to Mexico, too.)

Calculate your gas costs if you've got a guzzler, though -- make sure you're really saving money by the time you pay for fuel to a faraway airport. Remember to factor airport parking costs into your figures no matter which airport you choose, too.

Watch for megadeals; try standby

Check out the current student airfare deals if you're traveling internationally or try a student airfare finder for either international flights or trips closer to home. Note that Student Universe, for instance, runs a special called "Go Deals" (changing daily student airfare discounts) which change up between domestic and international destinations -- with luck, you may score a great domestic airfare discount from the right airport.

Aas a final domestic travel cost trimming trick, know that Airtrain Airlines offers a great domestic deal to students 18-22 -- "Airtran U," a standby program with US air tix capped at $79 one way for most routes. Standby has drawbacks, but it beats a spendy last-minute airfare any day.

The best tip: don't let the hassles of last minute travel get you down -- it's all good once you're there!

• About student airfare finders
• Check out Student Universe "Go Deals"
• Learn how Airtran U standby airfares work

Related: Top Spring Break Destinations 2008 | Spring Break 101 | Spring Break Without a Passport | Student Travel blog homepage

Category: Spring Break | Student Airfare

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