Travelling can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little flexibility and knowledge, you can score a great deal on a last-minute flight with points.

Indeed, although the rule has always been to book as early as possible when you want to use points, you may have an unexpected trip to make or you may have recently started collecting points.

Here are a few tips to help you find an affordable last-minute flight with points, even if you book at one minute to midnight.

Thanks to these three programs, you have access to over 40 airlines, including major Canadian players such as Aeroplan,Avios and Flying Blue. What’s more, with American Express Membership Rewards, you can transfer your points to Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, as well as use them against a Statement credit. This gives you a variety of accommodation options, whether you prefer the big hotel chains or Airbnb.

If you’re looking for cheap last-minute flights, it’s also easy to earn points in Canada through welcome bonuses on credit cards and organic spending.

For example, the American Express Cobalt^® Card allows you to earn 5X per dollar on groceries and meals. If you combine this with a gift card strategy, you can easily earn 5x for many categories. What’s more, you can earn up to 3.25X points in these categories for a multitude of airline programs via Marriott Bonvoy.

The American Express^® Gold Rewards Card and American Express Platinum Card^® also offer generous welcome offers, so you can quickly build up your points balance.

Travel points are also easy to accumulate thanks to welcome bonuses and bonus spending categories on certain credit cards.

• The CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card and the CIBC Aventura^® Gold Visa* Card offer generous welcome bonuses and earn up to 2 points per dollar on travel.
• The National Bank World Elite Mastercard offers 5 points per dollar for meals, ideal for foodies on the go.
• Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card up to 6X points on everyday expenses like groceries or restaurants for travel.

Although American Express Membership Rewards points can also be used in this way, it’s generally wiser to save them for occasions when their value will be maximized, if you can, particularly when they are transferred to other loyalty programs. So, if you have travel points like those mentioned above, it’s best to use them to cover expenses requiring cash payment.

Before we look at examples and strategies, it’s important to know that last minute means within the next two weeks.

When you’re between a month and 6 months before departure, the points strategy will be different and will vary according to your destination and dates.

The more flexible you are with your travel plans, the more likely you are to get a good deal. Consider departing at less desirable times or making a stopover if it saves you points, as direct daytime flights are often more expensive.

You can also fly to an airport further away from your destination if it’s significantly cheaper. By exploring all your options, you give yourself the best chance of finding an affordable flight.

If you’re looking to find reasonable point fares to Europe, try playing around with your dates and entry point. While you may want to travel to Italy, the best gateway for last-minute point flights could be London with Avios on Off-Peak dates.

Next, you need to get creative with your itinerary by completing with a low-cost carrier to Rome and checking the surrounding airports.

Similarly, you may want to explore Europe, but there’s nothing affordable; in that case, consider South America! It’s a big world out there, and if you can’t make it to Italy this year, you’ll have other opportunities.

This allows you to redeem your points at their best value later, instead of emptying your points bank for an expensive flight just because you don’t want to change destination.

If you’ve decided on a location and don’t want to change your mind, you either need to start planning early to get a reasonable price, or be prepared to use a lot of points.

I’ve noticed that there are always options with Aeroplan when you’re looking for affordable last-minute flights with points , especially if you’re departing from a hub like Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver. Air Canada has a dynamic points structure, so its system evaluates aircraft load as the date approaches and reduces the price accordingly.

In fact, if you look up fares to Japan from Montreal in a year’s time, you’ll see that they’re much more expensive than the usual 45,000 for this route. That’s because Air Canada’s algorithm sets the price as it is, given that it’s a popular route at this time (sakura season), and it’s certain that the plane will sell out even though it’s currently almost empty, given that we’re so far ahead of schedule.

But if you’re looking for last-minute flights with points to Tokyo for the same season, you’ll find prices closer to 45,000 points.

With Aeroplan, partner airlines operate in the same way: they release a limited number of award seats well in advance, but closer to the date, they open up more according to their load.

United Airlines usually releases extra seats in the month before departure, while Swiss, Lufthansa and Austrian seem to have a T-14 model (14 days before departure), to name just a few partner airlines.

Swiss and Lufthansa are also excellent airlines for cheap last-minute flights with business class points. As for Lufthansa First Class, I’ve already seen it within 2 weeks, and sometimes on the very day of departure!

The trick to getting these flights without having to wait until the last minute to book and plan your trip is to book another acceptable flight and consider a change fee to get an upgrade, or fall back on a partner airline that wasn’t available in the first place. If the new flight is cheaper, which is usually the case with partner airlines, you’ll be reimbursed the difference in points.

So it may be worth paying a change fee, depending on what’s available closer to your date. Likewise, schedule changes are desirable! You can wait for this opportunity and get better or more affordable flights without paying any fees.

Thanks to its distance-based award chart, the British Airways Executive Club program is ideal for last-minute flights with points. This charter often results in better fares on partner flights than those obtained by booking directly with them.

For example, here’s the result of a flight between Tokyo and Osaka for just 7,500 Avios, whereas taking the train costs over $150, and Aeroplan is also more expensive in terms of points and taxes.

British Airways Executive Club has partnered with three major transferable programs in Canada, namely Membership Rewards, RBC Avion Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Transfer bonuses are also recurring, so keep an eye out for them!

Finding cheap last-minute flights with points to Europe is also possible with them at 50,000 Avios and $200 taxes, but you need to find availability on their Off-Peak dates. Finding them so close to your travel date is risky if you’re travelling when demand is highest, such as in summer and during vacations.

One of the easiest ways to save on a flight is to travel on days when demand is lowest, especially when you’re looking for a last-minute flight with points, as award seats may have been booked long ago. This means avoiding weekends and holidays when everyone is trying to leave. By extending your trip by a day or two, you can often achieve significant savings. For example, flying home from spring break on the following Tuesday instead of Sunday can save you a lot of points.

Statistically, Tuesday and Wednesday are often the cheapest days to book a flight. These days coincide with fare adjustments made by airlines to compete with their rivals. By combining this tip with flexibility in your dates, you’ll maximize your chances of finding a low fare.

If you’re booking a last-minute flight with points, you may not have the luxury of choosing the most convenient departure time. However, some airlines allow you to change flights for a fee if a seat is available on a plane with a standby on the same day.

The best time to book a flight is often early morning, between 5 and 7 am. Airlines adjust their fares at these times, giving you access to fresh offers before demand pushes up prices. For last-minute flights, you should also check availability continuously in the two weeks prior to departure.

Additionally, many airlines offer special fares for people with family emergencies. If this applies to your situation, call customer service to inquire and book. Then you can use your travel points on that flight.

For last-minute flights, platforms such as AwardFares and Seats.Aero for awards, or Skyscanner and Google Flights, allow you to compare cash prices quickly. Airline apps, such as Air Canada and WestJet, also display last-minute offers. These tools are invaluable for maximizing your chances of finding affordable flights with points or cash.

Finally, even if you’re travelling with other people, it’s advisable to search for just one ticket, as there may be only one ticket left at that price at the last minute (for example, only one seat available on the partner airline). If the inventory cannot cover the whole group, the result will not appear if you enter more people in your search. If there’s only one seat available at this price and you’re travelling with a companion, you may need to separate bookings and flights.

Travelling separately (with dates and airlines via mix-and-match programs) can be the solution to finding cheap last-minute flights with points.

The key to finding last-minute budget flights is to be flexible. Consider itineraries with stopovers, alternative airports or less popular departure times. Using transferable points, such as those in the American Express or RBC Avion Membership Rewards programs, also offers great flexibility for booking discounted flights, even at the last minute. Last but not least, fixed-fare awards should not be overlooked either.

Finding cheap last-minute flights with points takes a little effort, but it’s worth it. By being flexible and exploring all your options, you can save a lot of money on your next trip. Whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, a little extra cash and points in your pocket is always nice.