Tourism operators are concerned that last-minute travel will be curtailed.

But any gains from last-minute travel will not offset the sagging demand among conventional travelers, analysts say.

The daughter and her family conducted an extensive phone search, trying to avoid the usual high prices of last-minute travel.

That gives airlines more control over pricing, and they have raised fares sharply, particularly for last-minute travel.

(For last-minute travel on a holiday, prices are generally higher than they will be this fall).

Web sites sell last-minute travel in a variety of ways.

I typed in my preferred (last-minute) travel times and got a fare of $1,398.

"You have to leave within a short time and return within a short time, so it's only good for last-minute travel."

Meanwhile, air fares for last-minute travel have risen dramatically and the major airlines are reporting record high profits.

Because last-minute travel is usually required, the average value of each ticket is about $1,500.