The other day, while perusing a tour operator’s website, I stumbled upon a premium-level experience for $1,500 for an 8-day trip across Morocco (flights excluded—the price covered private cars and transfers, experiences, and accommodations). The catch? It was coming up in just a few weeks.
A few days later, I noticed an uptick in women travelers posting in Facebook groups about last-minute getaways. Some had experienced layoffs and now wanted to spend a quick few days away. Others were in a period of burnout or loss, needing a break from the strain. I passed the link along where appropriate.
There are myriad reasons they—and you—might be searching for a trip in the coming weeks, but it’s not always easy to know which deals are worth it, how to even find them, and what your options are. So my hope today is to give you tactical tips on snagging a last-minute trip that you can keep handy for the next time you need a spontaneous getaway.
✈️ Flights & Points Deals
In 2025, my husband and I took advantage of a points deal in Miami to grieve after our pet passed away—I wouldn’t say it was a strong redemption, but it was what we needed in the moment. Earlier this year, I shared about gifting my mom points so she could see her sibling before they passed away. It wasn’t about optimizing the best use; I was more than happy to give them regardless of the “points to cash” value.
Depending on your situation, I recommend the same approach: Use points and miles as you need them, without worrying about the best deal. That said, there are a few ways you can maximize your options:
For flights, utilize an app like PointsYeah Daydream Explorer or Seats.aero, filtering out for your airline programs/transfer partner, the dates you need, and non-stop options (if desired). Seats.aero lets you turn on alerts for flights in the next 60 days and is free, so if you have a longer timeline, this could be helpful.
You could subscribe to points deals websites like Going, Thrifty Traveler, etc. to keep an eye out for last-minute opportunities. It’s never a guarantee, but it’s a possibility!
Finally, you could check your preferred transfer partners or loyalty programs directly—for example, you may find a flight from NYC to Miami for 10,000 points roundtrip, or a night at a hotel for 7,500 points instead of the normal 20,000.
💵 Cash Deals
If you’d rather pay in cash, you can go to Skyscanner or Google Flights with your desired dates and departing airport and select “Anywhere” to see what’s available within your price range. Here’s an example:
You can also check your credit card for cash-back offers, like I’ve found on Chase. I’ve seen $150 off $600 hotel deals, and that 25% off can go a long way toward other expenses—like gas, if you’re driving to your destination.
And a few additional tips to find worthwhile cash deals:
For spontaneous travel with a reputable tour operator, there are often last-minute deals to be found with Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, EF Tours, and Contiki. (If you have any others, please drop them in the comments!)
I generally recommend booking direct when possible (and you should definitely compare the direct cost to be safe), but I’ve heard that Booking.com and Costco Travel have the best “getaway deals” options, though you could also check Priceline, Hotels.com, etc.
You can also peek at deals with Hopper, which cover both hotels and airfare, to see if you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
If you’re driving to your destination, Budget, Alamo, Avis, and SIXT all have dedicated pages for last-minute deals. Do your own due diligence with the specific locations you’ll be renting from, but it could help you save a pretty penny.
🚢 Cruises
If you’re close to a port, you can also find exceptional deals on cruises. Friends and family have used Vacations to Go with minimal issue, so that’s one option. (Their website does look like it was made in 1995, but don’t let that stop you.)
To reiterate, I recommend booking directly, and most cruise lines share their last-minute offers: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, MSC, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess. For example, I’m seeing a 7-day Caribbean Vacation cruise for $349 instead of the typical $1,600+. (And a hint: If you hover over the X button of your browser or keep the tab open for several moments, you’ll also probably get a discount offer like $100 off a booking.)
🏨 Miscellaneous
Some travelers prefer to do home-swapping to keep costs as low as possible, and there are plenty of vetted platforms, like Kindred (I’m actually working on a larger post on this). The caveat is that your dates will have to match your swapper’s, so keep that in mind. If you have status or points, ask the front desk about a room upgrade or redemption on arrival—it can’t hurt.
If you’re part of Facebook groups like Award Travel 101, there are folks who regularly scope out last-minute deals and share them, like $300 for a 7-day European river cruise or a $200 flight from Washington, DC, to Paris.
Hotels are incentivized to book every room every night, so you may find luck in just showing up and snagging a room at a low cost. (You could also try HotelTonight if you’re wary about the possibility of a sold-out hotel, but I haven’t tried this myself so I can’t vouch for it just yet.)
👀 What to Watch Out For
There are, crucially, several caveats to consider before booking a last-minute trip:
Most travel insurance policies require coverage to be purchased within 14–21 days of your initial deposit, so if you’re booking and leaving within a week, it’s unlikely you’ll be covered by travel insurance. Not a dealbreaker, of course, but something to watch out for.
The Schwab ATM card is my favorite for grabbing cash around the world (no transaction or currency conversion fees), but it does take an excruciatingly long four business days for funds to transfer into your account. Make sure you have a plan for cash if you need it, though luckily most places accept tap-to-pay nowadays.
Similarly, your bank might be alerted if you make a sizable international purchase and leave at the last minute, so give them a heads up if you can. The worst scenario is not having any working cards once you’re abroad.
Double and triple check your passport expiration (and that you have six months of validity) if you’re heading out of the country, and see if there are any visa or entry requirements for international travel. Some countries allow you to apply for a visa upon arrival, but others require a long lead time that might mess with your plans. If you’re in serious doubt, I suggest staying domestic.
Finally, last-minute deals mean grab-and-go packing. My trusted packing list might be of use here! (It’s usually paywalled for paid subscribers, but I’ve made it available for all subscribers.)
Getting away with minimal planning or notice can seem more complicated, but it’s certainly doable—use this as a resource for future last-minute trips, and enjoy that time spent elsewhere. 💌
🥹 It was such a joy to join Emily Batdorf & Cassidy Horton on The Finance Girlies podcast to talk about my journey with money as I hit Coast FI, slow travel, and how to decipher the world of points and miles without losing the plot. Give it a listen!
🥰 A cozy shawl that acts as a second layer is one of my favorite travel hacks, especially since thermoregulation is huge for me. Chappywrap, the beloved blanket brand, brought back its shawls, and I have been living in mine. Super soft, and thin enough to pack. A dream.
🌙 The moon’s full lunar cycle in one frame. Makes you wonder how much we, too, change every 28 days. (h/t Cool Stories About History)
👏 A 82-year-old solo traveler shares her story, laden with curiosity and lightness. What’s the next interesting thing you should say “yes” to? (h/t Wild Child Journal)
❤️🩹 How to afford traveling for medical care. (Moneywise)
See you next week. —Henah x
Great round up! I'm a big believer in maximiIng value when I can, but also not being afraid to use them when I need to. Points depreciate fast after all.
I will throw in a rec for points.me (free with the AmEx Platinum). It can require a little diligence but it's especially handy for Europe or Asia, where good train options and budget airlines make transfers easy. I often search a few days in a couple cities to find the best redemption and lowest taxes for my needs.
And I'm obsessed with Kindred!!
Fun fact - your dates don't actually have match your swappers. You can list your availability, get credits for every night someone stays in your place, and then turn around and use those credits elsewhere. I've stayed +100 nights across London, Miami, Helsinki, Paris, Brooklyn, etc and never managed to do a 1:1 swap.
My pro tip is to prioritize longer stays and more expensive cities where you can, just to get the most bang for your buck. I've done 10 days in a Hackney penthouse for $120 and Christmas week in a Brooklyn brownstone for roughly the same. It can definitely save you a pretty penny!
Happy to chat more about Kindred for anyone interested! I think my referral code lets you skip the wait-list and get 5 free nights.