These are the most Affordable US Airlines To Buy Last-Minute Ticket

The most recent research from Upgraded Points examined last-minute booking fees for some of the most well-traveled domestic flight routes in the nation. According to the average price of a one-way ticket, the study determined which of the five major airlines — Spirit, United, American, Southwest, and Delta — gives the lowest pricing for each trip when booked last-minutely. It also identified the most cost-effective last-minute trips.

U.S. airlines with highest percentage on-time arrivals and Cancellations(Opens in a new browser tab)

The 10 most popular domestic airline routes in the United States were determined by Upgraded Points using information from the Official Airline Guide. They then recorded the cheapest one-way ticket price offered by each airline and route using Google Flights as their primary cost source, followed by a calculation of the average cost.

The Cost of a Last-Minute Flight Across Five Major Airlines

1. Spirit Airlines: Spirit offers the most affordable last-minute flights, with an average price of $170.09 across the 10 routes. Specifically, Spirit Airlines has the most affordable last-minute flights from:

–  Denver International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport: $88.10
–  Harry Reid International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport: $101.78
–  Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport: $108.88
–  Denver International Airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: $151.14
–  Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Orlando International Airport: $162.38
–  Los Angeles International Airport to O’Hare International Airport: $247.33

The 10 longest routes in the world flown by airlines, ranked by distance(Opens in a new browser tab)

2. Southwest Airlines: Flying Southwest Airlines is the best option for the most affordable last-minute flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Kahului Airport, at $174.50. With an average ticket price of $233.72, Southwest has the second-most affordable last-minute ticket prices overall.

3. United Airlines: Save the most by flying United Airlines on last-minute flights from Los Angeles International Airport to San Francisco International Airport, at $146.78, and LaGuardia Airport to O’Hare International Airport, at $189.56. In third place, United Airlines costs $272.80 for a last-minute ticket on average.

4. American Airlines: Fly American Airlines for the most affordable last-minute flights from John F. Kennedy International to Los Angeles International, at $366.60.

5. Delta Airlines: The most expensive option to buy a last-minute ticket, from the airlines studied, is Delta Airlines, with an average last-minute ticket price of $369.12

courtesy: Upgraded points

The Most Affordable Airlines to Book for Last-Minute California Trips

• Harry Reid International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport: Book Spirit Airlines last minute ($101.78).
• Los Angeles International Airport to O’Hare International Airport: Book Spirit Airlines last minute ($247.33).
• Los Angeles International Airport to Kahului Airport: Book Southwest Airlines last minute ($174.50).
• Los Angeles International Airport to San Francisco International Airport: Book United Airlines last minute ($146.78).
• John F. Kennedy International to Los Angeles International: Book American Airlines last minute ($366.60).

The Top 5 Most Affordable Last-Minute Trips

• DEN to LAS – $220.10 per trip
• LGA to ORD – $232.71 per trip
• ATL to FLL – $261.94 per trip
• DEN to PHX – $289.90 per trip
• LAX to OGG – $303.65 per trip

To see the full results including high-resolution graphics please visit the study HERE.