How last minute solo holidays work
Holiday companies plan their group departures a year or more ahead. When a few places are still free in the last weeks before a trip leaves, they cut the price to fill them, and that’s where the late deals come from. For a solo traveller that’s good news, because the cheapest last minute offers in the wider travel market are usually priced for two people sharing. The trips on this page are different: they’re from Just You, a solo-only company, so the price you see is already for one person in their own room.
| Booking late or booking early? |
Last minute |
A year ahead |
| Price |
Savings on places still left |
Early booking offers on some tours |
| Choice of destination |
Whatever is still on sale |
Every tour and date |
| Your own room |
Included with Just You |
Included with Just You |
| Time to plan the holiday |
A few weeks |
Months to look forward to it |
| Best for |
Flexible dates, good value |
A set date or a popular trip |
Most late offers are escorted group tours. Flights from UK airports, hotels, transfers and most food are included, and a tour manager looks after the group from start to finish. You turn up at the airport and the planning is done for you. That makes a short-notice holiday far easier than booking flights and a room yourself at a week or two’s notice, and it’s the main reason a last minute singles holiday works so well for one.
Who books last minute singles holidays?
All sorts of people, and every single traveller on a Just You trip is in the same boat. Some have a gap in the diary they didn’t expect, some have just retired, and some simply decide they’d rather be in Sicily than at home in November. Plenty of the people on a Just You tour are on their first solo trip, and a group of like-minded people where everyone is travelling alone takes the worry out of it. Many come home with new friends they still travel with. You’ll eat together most evenings, meet new people from the first night, and there’s always someone to share a coffee with on a free afternoon.
If you’d like company your own age, our guides to singles holidays over 50 and solo holidays for over 60s compare the companies that cater for each age group.
How to get the best last minute deal travelling solo
If you’d rather stay in the UK, a singles holiday on home soil is easy to book late as there are no flights to arrange. Our page on no single supplement holidays explains how solo pricing works across the main companies, and the solo holiday deals guide covers the sales that come round each year.
What’s included on a last minute escorted tour
Each card above lists the main inclusions for that trip. On a typical Just You tour you can expect return flights from the UK, nights with your own room, transfers, a tour manager, some food and several guided visits to the history and sights of each destination. Longer trips to places like Japan or Sri Lanka usually include internal flights or trains as well. Drinks, tips and optional excursions are extra, so budget for those.
Our partner · Just You
Every late departure in one place
See all of Just You’s last minute tours, with a room of your own on every one.
See last minute tours
Where to go at short notice
The late offers follow the seasons, so the best value destination changes through the year. In autumn and winter you’ll often see winter sun in Spain, Portugal, Madeira and the Canary Islands, plus longer adventure trips to Asia for anyone who wants to explore further. Spring brings Italy, Greece and Croatia back into the list, and summer is the time for cooler ideas like Scandinavia or a walking trip in the mountains. River cruise departures from spring to autumn sometimes show up too, and so does the odd adventure further afield for a solo traveller who wants to explore somewhere new. A city break in Rome, Prague or Lisbon works well if you’ve only got a few days free, and a beach week on an island is an easy first trip on your own. For something festive, our Christmas holidays for singles guide lists the trips still on sale for December.
If you’d rather join a mixed group of couples and solo travellers, Travelsphere’s last minute tours are worth a look too. Bear in mind that a single supplement applies on Travelsphere trips, so ask for the solo price before you book. Our Travelsphere review explains who it suits, and Holiday Alone has guides to every other kind of solo trip.
Questions about booking a solo trip late
How late can I book?
Often up to a couple of weeks before departure, as long as there are places left and you can get to the airport. The closer the date, the fewer places there tend to be, so don’t leave it too long once you’ve seen a trip you like.
Do I pay a single supplement on these trips?
No. Every Just You trip includes a room of your own in the price shown. Other companies vary, so check the solo price before you book anything that isn’t solo-only.
Are last minute deals safe to book?
Yes, as long as the trip is protected. Just You’s flight holidays are ATOL protected, so your money and your journey home are covered if anything goes wrong with the company.
How often is this page updated?
Every morning. We check Just You’s late offers each day and refresh the list, the prices and the savings, so what you see here was on sale that day.
Can I travel alone if I’ve never been on a group tour?
Of course. Plenty of people on a solo group tour are doing it for the first time. The tour manager introduces everyone at the start, and you’re free to join in as much or as little as you like.