Benefits

• Last minute airline tickets can be purchased up to only a few hours in advance of the flight. That helps the airline get all seats booked, and it helps you out when you have an emergency where your presence is needed. Knowing that last minute air travel is available if needed can put minds at ease when parents send kids off to camp or students move away from home at a critical time for their families.

Warning

• Get to the airport early if you are getting a last minute ticket. Airlines typically tell the airport to put you through extra security measures when purchasing a last minute ticket. You'll typically be padded down, and your belongings will be searched. If you carry a laptop computer, you'll be asked to set it aside and it will be looked at. Don't be afraid to let the airline know if it's an emergency due to the illness of a loved one or a death in the family. Many airlines will work with you to do what it takes to accommodate you in emergency situations. Take notes of all conversations you have with an airline about such a situation. If you are treated poorly along the way, and address the airline about the problem in your time of need, you may receive some form of compensation.

3. The Best Time to Buy International Plane Tickets Purchase Far in Advance

• For international travel, it is best to purchase tickets at an absolute minimum of one month in advance, though the earlier the search begins the cheaper the airfare possibilities. Ninety-day advance purchases for international travel is optimal. If your travel dates fall in a busy tourist season, four months to nine months notice is best. For example, tourism in Paris is high in the spring, so as demand increases and the time grows nearer, airfares increase; therefore, it is best to purchase these tickets a few seasons, or even a year, in advance. The economic principles of supply and demand apply to the fluctuating airfare market in the same fashion these principles apply to any other business.

Keep an Eye on Bucket Shops and Specialty Travel Agents

• Many bucket shops and travel agents specialize in specific regions of the world, and have established relationships with airline consolidators. Bucket shops and plane ticket retailers (local travel agents or online retailers) can offer substantial discounts on particular plane tickets, and often advertise "last-minute deals" and travel packages. Research the travel agents and bucket shops nearest you to see which specialize in your destination region, and keep an eye on the plane ticket prices of these retailers, who are especially useful for short-notice travel.

Allow Date Flexibility

• Travelers ideally want to take off on a Friday or the weekend, but these days have a higher demand, and therefore higher airfares. A departure or arrival during the week--ideally a Tuesday or Wednesday--will result in a less expensive plane tickets.

Be Careful with Airfare "Gambling"

• Some travelers boast substantial last-minute findings, even having plenty of advance notice for a trip. While waiting with the hopes of a a drop in plane ticket prices in the airfare market is extremely risky and will not always pan out favorably, Hotwire.com travel expert Clem Bason says that some circumstances do support waiting to purchase plane tickets. Winter in Europe, for example, is a time of low demand, notes Bason, who says, "Several months before, if you see high fares, it's a good chance a lower fare will be available if you wait."