Many of the seasonal airlines that serve Anchorage during the busy summer season are packing their bags and boarding up their ticket counters. Gone are Sun Country, Air Canada and Virgin America. Frontier Airlines is packing up, with the last Anchorage-Denver flight scheduled for Sept. 16. American Airlines is here until Sept. 30. JetBlue flies through Oct. 15 this year between Anchorage and Seattle. Icelandair's last flight is this week – and Condor ends nonstop service to Frankfurt on Oct. 1.
Who's left offering jet service to the Lower 48? Alaska Airlines, that's who. But United Airlines, which previously offered just once- or twice-daily Anchorage-Seattle flights year-round – is keeping its nonstop to Chicago through Jan. 19, 2014. Additionally, United is keeping its daily nonstop Anchorage-Denver nonstop through the winter.
Delta Air Lines also is a year-round player with two daily nonstops between Anchorage and Minneapolis. Delta's daily Anchorage-Salt Lake City nonstop ends on Nov. 2, 2013.
USAirways will continue to fly once a day between Anchorage and Phoenix all winter. That said, Alaska Airlines will inaugurate thrice-weekly nonstop Anchorage-Phoenix (non-red-eye!) on Dec. 19, 2013.
The situation up in Fairbanks is more pronounced: Frontier, Delta, United and Condor are gone for the winter. Alaska is the only jet carrier during the winter. In fact, Alaska Airlines is swapping out the jets for Q400 turbo-props on all but one or two flights.
As the competitive pressure between airlines ease, fares go up. That doesn't mean there aren't any bargains to be found. If you dig deep enough, you still can find some great deals. But there are fewer of them. And they cost more. Let's review:
1. Anchorage-Miami. Delta offers a $440 roundtrip fare between Sept. 30 and Nov. 30. The rate isn't available each and every day, but if you're flexible you can find a good rate, with excellent connections.
2. Anchorage-Honolulu. Alaska Airlines offers a nice $440 roundtrip fare on their nonstop flights between Sept. 28 and Oct. 24.
3. Anchorage-Las Vegas. If you like hanging around in Phoenix, feel free to grab USAir's $354 roundtrip Oct. 1-11. The layover is…ugh…eight hours and thirty-five minutes. I'd pay an extra $44 and fly Alaska Airlines. The connections are much better. And after Jan. 5, 2014, Alaska's new nonstop is available for just $396 roundtrip.
4. Anchorage-Los Angeles (LAX). USAir is offering cheap rates all winter long: just $320 roundtrip. But you really have to pick and choose your flights to avoid the lengthy layover in Phoenix.
5. Anchorage-Austin, Tex. United is offering a rate of $354 roundtrip, but only through Oct. 11.
6. Anchorage-Boston. Fly United for as little as $342 roundtrip between Sept. 29 and Oct. 8.
7. Anchorage-New York City. United offers the lowest fare, just $348 roundtrip to New York's LaGuardia airport between Sept. 30 and Oct. 9.
8. Anchorage-Chicago. Alaska is offering a $500 roundtrip fare on the nonstop flight between Oct. 13 and Nov. 12. Since this is a "Club 49" deal, purchase no later than Thursday evening, Sept. 12.
9. Anchorage-Charlotte, N.C. Fly United for as little as $400 roundtrip through Dec. 11.
10. Anchorage-Long Beach. JetBlue is the airline to fly in and out of this handy L.A.-area airport. Between now and Oct. 15, the rate is as low as $304 roundtrip.
11. Anchorage-Phoenix. While rates are available now for as little as $438 roundtrip on United, the real battle heats up after the Holidays. That's when Alaska starts flying nonstop from Anchorage. Then, both USAir and Alaska will offer roundtrip fares starting at $416 all winter long.
12. Anchorage-Portland. Fly nonstop on Alaska Airlines for as little as $380 roundtrip between now and Nov. 14.
13. Anchorage-Seattle. It's still the "Mother of all airline deals" at $216-$242 roundtrip. JetBlue is the driving force behind low fares to Seattle through Oct. 15. After that date, Alaska Airlines and United will offer daily service. Even though there is competition on the route, fares will go up. You can count on it.
Alaska Airlines also is offering some in-state specials as part of this week's "Club 49" sale. Fly roundtrip from Anchorage to either Fairbanks or Kodiak for $200 between Sept. 24 and Oct. 24. You must purchase your tickets by Thursday evening, though, Sept. 12.
Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based travel marketing consultant who has lived in Alaska for three decades, spending much of that time traveling the far-flung corners of the state. Visit his website at www.alaskatravelgram.com or follow him on Twitter for breaking travel news.