The Best Airlines To Buy a Last-Minute Ticket [2025 Data Study]

Waiting until the last minute to book a flight? That could be a budget-friendly move … or an expensive mistake.

Conventional wisdom says booking early is the best way to save on airfare, but last-minute fares don’t always follow the rules. When booking with some airlines, delaying your purchase might actually land you a cheaper ticket, while on others, prices climb the closer you get to departure. So, how much does timing really matter when booking a flight?

To find out, we analyzed over 21,000 flights across 10 of the busiest domestic routes, tracking fares daily for 2 weeks to see what travelers actually pay when booking 1 week before departure. We compared last-minute ticket prices across airlines and routes, identifying where waiting paid off, and where it didn’t. The numbers may surprise you. For example, across the routes we analyzed, last-minute flights actually cost 8.3% less on average than those booked further in advance.

Airlines With the Most and Least Expensive Last-Minute One-Way Tickets

Booking a last-minute flight can feel like a gamble. Sometimes you luck into a deal, but more often than not, you’re stuck paying a premium for waiting too long. Across all flights analyzed, the average cost of a last-minute one-way ticket came in at $228.21, but some airlines offered significantly lower (or higher) fares than others.

The Most Cost-Effective Airlines for Last-Minute One-Way Flights

For travelers looking to book a last-minute flight without breaking the bank, budget airlines dominated the list of most affordable options:

1. Spirit Airlines: $151.53
2. Frontier Airlines: $160.89
3. Hawaiian Airlines: $190.19
4. Southwest Airlines: $212.43
5. Alaska Airlines: $229.73

Low-cost carriers Spirit and Frontier consistently offer some of the cheapest flights, and that holds true even for last-minute bookings. These airlines keep base fares low but often charge extra for carry-ons, seat selection, and other add-ons. Hawaiian is a bit of a surprise on this list, but its pricing structure likely reflects the number of flights we analyzed that go from Honolulu (HNL) to Maui (OGG), which is a very short trip.

The Most Expensive Airlines for Last-Minute One-Way Flights

On the other end of the spectrum, major airlines tended to charge higher fares for travelers booking on short notice:

1. JetBlue: $310.15
2. American Airlines: $288.26
3. United Airlines: $274.33
4. Delta Air Lines: $236.36

JetBlue, which touts options for extra legroom and inflight entertainment, had the highest last-minute fares among the airlines analyzed, suggesting that time plays a larger role in the cost of its flights. Full-service airlines like Delta, United, and American are known for their reliability, extensive route networks, and premium offerings. Still, those perks often come with a higher price tag, especially for last-minute travelers. 

How Much More Do Last-Minute One-Way Flights Cost Compared to Advance Bookings?

While last-minute flights are generally assumed to be more expensive, that isn’t always the case. On average, last-minute tickets cost about 3.1% more than flights booked in advance, but some airlines actually offer lower fares for travelers booking late.

Airlines Where Last-Minute One-Way Tickets Cost Less

Surprisingly, several airlines charged less for last-minute fares than flights booked in advance:

• Alaska Airlines: -22.6%
• Southwest Airlines: -8.2%
• Frontier Airlines: -3.6%
• Spirit Airlines: -3.1%
• American Airlines: -0.8%

For Alaska, last-minute flights cost 22.6% less than advance bookings on average, suggesting that flexible pricing strategies or seasonal fluctuations may play a role. Southwest’s unique fare system and lack of traditional cancellation fees may also contribute to its relatively low last-minute prices. Even Frontier and Spirit, typically known for dynamic pricing models, saw slightly lower fares for last-minute bookings.

Airlines Where Last-Minute One-Way Tickets Cost More

Other airlines followed the more conventional pattern by charging more for last-minute bookings:

• JetBlue: +29.9%
• Hawaiian Airlines: +19.3%
• United Airlines: +15.6%
• Delta Air Lines: +1.2%

At United, Hawaiian, and JetBlue, last-minute flights came at a significant markup. JetBlue, in particular, charged nearly 30% more, reinforcing time-based ticket cost increases we observed earlier. The same trend was seen with Hawaiian, where limited routes and demand for island flights may contribute to higher last-minute fares.

What This Means for Last-Minute Travelers

If you’re booking a flight at the last minute, budget airlines like Spirit and Frontier are often the most affordable options, but even some full-service airlines, like Alaska and Southwest, may offer better deals than expected. On the other hand, United, Hawaiian, and JetBlue tend to charge more for last-minute fares, making early bookings a smarter choice.

In the next section, we’ll take a closer look at the domestic flight routes used in this analysis and how ticket prices vary based on where you’re flying.

The Cost of Last-Minute One-Way Tickets on Popular Domestic Flight Routes

Not all last-minute flights are created equal. While booking a ticket on short notice usually means paying a premium, the price depends just as much on where you’re flying as it does on the airline you choose. Some routes see cheaper fares, even at the last minute, while others demand a hefty markup.

Our analysis looked at 10 of the busiest domestic flight routes, capturing ticket prices over 2 weeks to find out where travelers can expect the best (or worst) deals when booking late.

The Cheapest Last-Minute One-Way Ticket Routes

A handful of high-traffic domestic routes offer affordable last-minute fares, often due to frequent flights, strong competition, or short-haul distances:

• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) to Kahului Airport (OGG): $129.69
• Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): $142.01
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO): $187.00
• Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) to LaGuardia Airport (LGA): $214.07
• LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD): $221.31

Short-haul flights, like Honolulu to Maui and Las Vegas to Los Angeles, often see lower fares because they’re covered by multiple daily departures on budget-friendly airlines. Los Angeles to San Francisco, a major West Coast corridor, follows a similar pattern, with frequent flights from both low-cost and full-service carriers keeping last-minute prices reasonable.

On longer routes like Atlanta to New York and New York to Chicago, ticket prices stay relatively low even at the last minute, likely due to high demand and competition among airlines, ensuring available seats don’t skyrocket in price.

The Most Expensive Last-Minute One-Way Ticket Routes

Some routes, however, come with steeper last-minute fares, often because they have fewer daily flights, less competition, or serve high-demand business hubs:

• Denver International Airport (DEN) to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS): $232.58
• Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) to Orlando International Airport (MCO): $253.15
• Denver International Airport (DEN) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX): $266.30
• Denver International Airport (DEN) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD): $308.88
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): $327.12

Flights from Denver, in particular, come with higher last-minute costs. Denver to Phoenix, Denver to Chicago, and Denver to Las Vegas all saw above-average fares, possibly due to seasonal demand, fewer low-cost carriers on these routes, or hub constraints at Denver International Airport.

Meanwhile, the New York to Los Angeles route remains one of the most premium domestic flights, often served by full-service airlines with business-heavy demand. This transcontinental corridor sees fewer budget airline options, keeping last-minute prices high.

Are Last-Minute Flights Always More Expensive? Not Exactly.

The assumption that last-minute flights always cost more isn’t entirely true. As we’ve mentioned, across the routes we analyzed, last-minute flights cost an average of 8.3% less on average than those booked in advance. Some routes saw even steeper discounts for late bookings.

Routes Where Last-Minute One-Way Tickets Cost Less

• Las Vegas (LAS) to Los Angeles (LAX): -26.8%
• New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX): -18.3%
• Atlanta (ATL) to New York (LGA): -10.8%
• Denver (DEN) to Las Vegas (LAS): -10.5%
• Atlanta (ATL) to Orlando (MCO): -10.3%
• Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO): -6.9%
• New York (LGA) to Chicago (ORD): -1.1%

The largest price drop was seen on the Las Vegas to Los Angeles route, where last-minute fares were 26.8% cheaper than flights booked in advance, likely due to the sheer volume of daily flights between these two major hubs. Similarly, New York to Los Angeles, a premium transcontinental route, saw an 18.3% drop, possibly because this route is generally more expensive than many others and airlines want the plane as full as possible when making such a long trip.

Routes Where Last-Minute One-Way Tickets Cost More

• Denver (DEN) to Chicago (ORD): +7.7%
• Denver (DEN) to Phoenix (PHX): +2.1%

Unlike the routes where last-minute fares were lower, flights from Denver to Phoenix and Denver to Chicago saw higher prices when booked close to departure. The increases could be due to high demand from business and leisure travelers, fewer available flights, or limited seating on certain airlines serving these routes.

Key Takeaways for Last-Minute Travelers

If you’re booking a flight last minute, choosing the right route can make a significant difference in price. Short-haul routes with frequent departures, like Las Vegas to Los Angeles or Los Angeles to San Francisco, often offer last-minute bargains. However, longer flights on premium routes, like New York to Los Angeles or Denver to Chicago, tend to see higher prices when booked at the last minute.

Methodology

To determine the best airlines to book a last-minute ticket, we pulled Google Flights airfare cost data for 10 of the busiest U.S. domestic flight routes every day for 2 weeks. Using this method, our analysis took into account over 21,000 flights.

All “last-minute” flight costs reflect booking a flight exactly 1-week prior to the departure day. To get the cost change data, we compared the average cost from each airline and route against existing averages from 2024 we have from previous airline cost studies.

Final Thoughts

Last-minute flights are a gamble. Waiting until the eleventh hour sometimes saves you money, especially on short-haul routes or flights with frequent departures. Other times, procrastination comes with a hefty price tag, particularly on premium long-haul routes or flights operated by full-service carriers. Either way, scrambling for a seat at the last minute is rarely stress-free.

Whether you’re booking early or rolling the dice on a last-minute deal, knowing how airline pricing works can help you make smarter decisions. And if your timing isn’t perfect, leveraging travel rewards and credit card perks can soften the blow. Upgraded Points helps travelers maximize every booking — last-minute or not — by offering expert insights on rewards programs, credit card benefits, and the best ways to stretch your travel budget.