Complete Guide to Last-Minute Travel Deals for Australians

Didn't book a holiday for your upcoming time off? Don’t worry, last minute travel deals can get you on your way. Websites like Last Minute Australia help you save money when booking flights, holiday rentals, car hires, packages and experiences in a rush. Read on to learn more about how Last Minute works, tips on finding a good deal and things to consider before you book a spontaneous trip.

We'll also talk about paying for your expenses abroad, and introduce Wise travel card as a convenient way to manage your money internationally.

Table of contents
Using Last Minute Services offered Types of Deals Available on Last Minute Tips on Finding Last Minute Travel Deals Flight Booking Tips Savings on Accommodation Savings Money-Saving Tips Important Considerations Before Your Travel Documentation Requirements Holiday Money Paying for Expenses Abroad Meet Wise: Your Smart Travel Money Card

Using Last Minute

The website Last Minute lets you book last-minute travel from Australia. So, if you’re an Australian resident who hasn’t made travel plans yet, you can search for deals that help you avoid last-minute surcharges on flights, car rentals and travel packages. Let’s go over what Last Minute can offer and the types of deals available.¹

Services offered

Here are some of the services Last Minute offers:

Accommodation

You can search from over a million places to stay domestically and worldwide through the website.²

1. You can book rooms and suites in hotels in 28 cities globally, including Sydney, Paris, Las Vegas, and London. The entire list is available on the website.
2. If you know where you’d like to go, you can narrow down your search by filtering by country to find last-minute deals.
3. In addition to regular hotels, Last Minute lets you explore alternative accommodation types, such as cabin rentals, castles, guest houses, villas, and safari camps.
4. You can choose your getaways to match your mood. For example, there are options like, pet-friendly, adventure, last-minute deals, family accommodation, beach resorts, luxury deals, and romantic escapades.

Flight Tickets

You can book plane tickets on Last Minute with more than 400 airlines. A range of flight options is available including booking one-way, return, and multi-city tickets in economy, premium economy, business, or first-class cabins.³

1. You can book flights according to your destination, such as Bali, Hong Kong, Singapore, or Las Vegas.
2. Similarly, you can find tickets according to the country you plan to visit. The website’s multiple options include flights to anywhere in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, and the United States.

Holiday Packages

What makes Last Minute convenient is that you can explore holiday packages that include flights, hotels, and car rentals together. It removes the stress of booking multiple tickets if you’re already in a time crunch.⁴

1. You can choose packages to popular destinations like Fiji, Singapore, Bali, Cairns, Queensland, and New South Wales.
2. Fifteen international holiday packages are available, including those for Tokyo, Europe, Hawaii, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Paris.
3. Australians looking for a trip closer to home can book local and regional holiday packages for 13 destinations, including Tasmania, Melbourne, Perth, and Canberra.

Car hire

Some trips are best done by car. Last Minute allows Australian travellers to reserve hired cars domestically or abroad for holidays, and airport drop-offs.⁵

Tourist Activities

Just getting to a destination isn’t enough, you’re going to want to make the most of your time there. Last Minute lets you book activities like scenic forest safaris in Bali, island tours around Phuket and sailing escapades in Fiji. You can also arrange tours for within the country.⁶

How to book on LastMinute.com

Last Minute operates completely online so you can book your trip from your mobile or computer. Here is a step-by-step guide for booking on Last Minute:⁷

1. First, you must sign in to Last Minute. All you need is an email address and your password. If you’re new to Last Minute, you can create an account for free. Follow the instructions and complete the registration.
2. Log into your account and search for a trip by entering the destination, travel dates, or other preferences. You can also search for ideas through the Last Minute blog.
3. Browse the search results and select the best options that suit what you’re looking for.
4. When ready, click the “Book Now” or “Buy” option.
5. Enter any required information.
6. Please select your preferred payment method and complete the transaction. You can use credit or debit cards, PayPal, or the other payment options listed.
7. You will receive an email confirming your booking.

If you need any help with booking a trip or your account, Last Minute offers online customer support.

Last Minute also offers a mobile app that that lets you book a trip, review trip details and access all itineraries, even offline. You can also get timely updates about flight delays and contact your hotel using the app.

If you change your plans, Last Minute offers options to cancel or modify your trip- sometimes with a fee or penalty. If you are supposed to receive a refund from a cancelled or changed booking, you can track it online and receive regular updates.

Types of Deals Available on Last Minute

Let’s delve deeper into the types of deals you can expect on Last Minute:

Flight deals: Last Minute offers deals on flights within Australia and abroad. You can book one-way, return or multi-city tickets from major Australian airports nationwide. And while the site is known for last-minute deals, you can also book up to 12 months in advance. Popular flights from Australia are to the UK, the United States, New Zealand and India. You can also search based on the type of seat you’d like, such as economy, premium economy, business, or first class. Depending on the program, Last Minute may allow you to use credit cards or loyalty reward points to get discounts on flight tickets.⁸

Hotel discounts: Australian residents can book accommodation from over one million global options on Last Minute. Hotel deals are available for reservations within the next 14 days. Additional discounts may be offered like with Sneaky Saver, where you can get an additional 10% off on select properties.⁹

Package holidays: Last Minute offers package holidays to Australian residents, which combines multiple parts of a trip, like flights and hotel, for one total price. This can sometimes be cheaper than booking separately, and more hassle-free. Not all destinations are available as a package, but Last Minute offers 13 domestic locations within Australia and 15 international packages. The packages help save money and can come with surprise perks and convenient “Grab Now and Pay Later” options.¹⁰

Car hire: Last Minute offers car hire deals but the discount options depend on the car hire companies. You can hire cars in Australia for travel or airport drop-offs, as well as abroad, and the website allows for searching by your preferred car hire company. ¹¹

Keep in mind that not all deals may be available and it is best to shop around and compare prices before booking your trip.

Tips on Finding Last Minute Travel Deals

Last Minute offers exciting last-minute travel deals and these tips can help you make the most of the website.

Flight Booking Tips

When considering a last minute flight, consider these helpful tips:

• Alternative airports: While flights to major airports may be already booked or expensive, you can look for alternative airports in the same city or nearby. For example, if flights to Heathrow Airport are unavailable, you can consider alternative airports like Gatwick, Southend, or Stansted.
• Flexible dates: Staying flexible can help you find better deals. For example, weekend flights are generally the most expensive, so you can try cheaper options, like midweek flights and stays.
• Points and rewards programs: You can redeem accumulated rewards or travel points through existing loyalty programs for discounts on flight tickets and hotel accommodations.

Savings on Accommodation Savings

Being smart with your accommodation bookings can save you a lot of money.

• Hotel alternatives: If all the hotels are booked or over budget when you plan your holiday, consider alternatives like Airbnb rooms, beach houses, guest houses, inns, lodges, and tree houses. They may be cheaper and provide a unique experience.
• Last-minute room releases: Some hotels release rooms at the last minute. You can sign up for updates on the Last Minute app and get notified about room availability and discounts.
• Bundle deals: Last Minute offers added deals like bundles, where you can tack on a hotel stay to your holiday plans.
• Loyalty programs: Australian residents can use their credit card reward points and other loyalty programs to book through popular hotel chains.

Money-Saving Tips

An impromptu trip can wreak havoc on your budget. Here are some ways to save a little extra money:

• Book a package or bundle your trip under one price.
• Dig out your loyalty points or programs and apply them to the trip.
• Allow notifications from Last Minute so you can book a trip when a deal becomes available.
• Watch for deals on your preferred airlines or hotels through the company’s Instagram or Facebook. Sometimes they can offer additional discounts for a limited time.
• Stay flexible with your trip and keep some backup options in case it is cheaper to go somewhere besides your top pick.
• Lead with your budget - sometimes that can be hard to do when booking an exciting trip, but leading with what your budget allows will keep your bank account happy.

Important Considerations Before Your Travel

Before you go, make sure you have these steps in place:

• Make a plan. Having an itinerary can help you make the most of your trip - but make sure it includes some downtime too.
• Additional costs. Think through all the costs that may come up, including those at your destination. This can be for meals, drinks, entrance fees but also highway tolls, visa costs, foreign exchange mark-ups and bank fees on currency conversions. Want to save money on international transactions and bank fees? Check out Wise Card.
• Share your plans. Send your travel plans to friends and loved ones before you go so they know where you are in case anything happens.
• Keep in touch. Consider internet accessibility and mobile service when abroad. International SIMs have become popular, as well as add-on packages from existing mobile providers.
• Understand the local customs. If you’re going somewhere brand new, read up on the local customs, language and regulations of the destination. Respecting the local culture and speaking a few words in the language can help make your trip memorable for all the right reasons.

Documentation Requirements

Having important documents on your mobile, in your email and as hard copies can make them easily accessible when needed.

• Travel Insurance: Flight delays, loss of baggage, illness, and disruptions can affect your holidays in a major way, making travel insurance a smart idea. You pay for a policy upfront and it can cover numerous financial costs if something goes wrong. Keep your travel insurance policy on you, with access to emergency numbers, at all times when travelling.
• Visa requirements: Check whether you need a visa for your trip. While, of course, won’t need one in Australia, you may require a visa for countries abroad. Sometimes the visa may be an eVisa and can be issued upon arrival. Review the guidelines on your destination’s embassy or consulate website and make sure you carry all required documents with you, and not in your checked-in luggage.
• Cancellation policies: Review Last Minute's cancellation policies before making your trip reservations. If you’ve booked a trip, keep the policies accessible in case your plans change or something goes wrong when travelling.

Holiday Money

Finally, we’ve come to one of the most important parts of your holiday— spending money. Travelling abroad requires you to pay in foreign currencies, either by cash, credit or debit cards, and in many places now, mobile apps.

While international transactions have become more convenient, they can still cost you a lot depending on what you use. Many banks and credit cards charge high currency conversion rates and markup charges when used abroad. Call up or check how your card handles transactions made abroad and find out the exchange rate you get. Sometimes small fees - some hidden, some not- can add up quickly.

One way to save money is to use a multi-currency travel card. The card can be pre-loaded with the currency you want to use, saving you on fluctuating exchange rates and charges. The Wise multi-currency travel card is cheap, easy to use and gives you the real mid-market exchange rate on every transaction.

Paying for Expenses Abroad

Using your credit or debit card for foreign spending may make sense if you don’t get charged international transaction fees and have a favourable exchange rate. Many providers also place a markup on the mid-market exchange rate — the currency conversion rate you usually see on Google, and the one used by Wise.

Meet Wise: Your Smart Travel Money Card

Wise offers a convenient travel card and money transfer services that make managing your finances abroad a breeze. The Wise card lets you spend like a local in over 150+ countries, with

• Excellent exchange rates: Always get the mid-market exchange rate – the same one you usually see on Google – so you get the most out of your money.
• Low, transparent fees: Say goodbye to hidden charges and hefty markups. Wise keeps its fees low and transparent, so you know exactly what you're paying.
• Convenient card and app: Use your Wise card to swipe like a local in supported countries. Manage your money, track spending, and even freeze your card if needed, all through the Wise app .
• Cash withdrawals: Easily withdraw cash from supported ATMs abroad with low, transparent fees. But be mindful that ATM providers may charge their own cash withdrawal fees.
• International transfers: Send money abroad with the same mid-market exchange rates and low fees.

Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

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Sources used for this article:

1. Intro to Last Minute
2. Accommodations at lastminute
3. Flights at lastminute
4. Holiday packages at lastminute
5. Car hiring at lastminute
6. Holiday escapades at lastminute
7. Booking process at lastminute
8. Flight deals
9. Hotel deals
10. Holiday Packages
11. Car packages