Southwest and AirTran on Tuesday launched sales featuring fares as low as $25 one way for winter.
Southwest is offering the lowest fares on some of its routes in 13 years. The one-way sale prices — good for travel Dec. 2-16 and again Jan. 5-Feb. 20 — are $25 on routes up to 375 miles, $50 on routes up to 549 miles, $75 on routes up to 999 miles and $100 on longer routes. The sale expires at midnight PT Thursday.
AirTran’s offer, which allows travel through Feb. 10, includes one-way prices as low as $39 on its shortest routes. Prices for longer routes range from $164 to $149 one way. The purchase deadline is Nov. 10.
Tom Parsons at BestFares.com says fares will continue to rise into next year because, “Airlines can’t just keep on losing money forever.”
“But,” he says, “I still expect there to be significant fare sales like these periodically, at least through next May.”
It can cost as much for a traveler to check two bags on many airlines as it does to fly for $25 on Southwest, which doesn’t charge for checked bags. The cost can rise more if passengers choose certain coach seats early, rebook, take a pet along or even buy a ticket over the phone rather than online.
Extra charges are one way that airlines are surviving the recession and can offer deep discounts in a gloomy travel climate.
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-10-27-airfares-airtran-southwest_N.htm
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