Here in Anchorage, we enjoy great air service, particularly in the summer. In recent years, we've seen more options for travel over the top to Europe and to gateways in the eastern U.S.
Most of the long-haul nonstops are gone for the winter, including Anchorage-Frankfurt, Anchorage-Reykjavik, Anchorage-Atlanta and nonstops to Newark, Houston and Dallas.
But let's take a close look at the nonstop options available during the winter -- and the prevailing rates.
Between Anchorage and Seattle, Alaska Airlines has the most nonstops: 13 each day during the winter. For the first time since they resumed flying the route, Delta is offering three daily flights. All of the flights are on sale right now for as little as $189 each way, thanks to the Alaska Airlines PFD sale. Delta dropped their fare to match Alaska.
From Anchorage to Portland, Alaska Airlines offers two nonstops each day. One is a red-eye, but the other leaves at 11:40 a.m. Both are available for as little as $199 each way.
United Airlines offered Anchorage-San Francisco flights during the summer but dropped them for the winter. But Anchorage-Los Angeles flights are a bargain on Alaska Airlines, even cheaper than Anchorage-Seattle. During the winter, Alaska offers nonstop red-eye Anchorage-Los Angeles flights four times each week: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Prices are as low as $186 each way.
Between Anchorage and Phoenix, Alaska Airlines starts its seasonal nonstop flights on Nov. 3. The flights operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, departing at 9:45 a.m. US Airways offers five-times-weekly service (no flights on Tuesdays or Fridays), departing bright and early at 1:45 am. Both Alaska and US Airways are offering flights for as little as $189 each way. Like Delta, US Airways dropped its fare to match the Alaska Airlines PFD sale.
Anchorage fliers may have become accustomed to Delta's year-round Anchorage-Salt Lake nonstops. But those flights now are summer-only.
Don't forget about Las Vegas. Alaska Air's nonstop flights start up on Oct. 23. If you plan at least two weeks out, you can fly on the red-eye (in both directions) for just $189 each way. That's a great deal.
In Denver, United Airlines offers the only nonstop -- but they fly every night at 11:40 p.m. on a 737. And while they offered a fare in the $700 range last month, they've dropped it to match Alaska's PFD rate of $261 each way.
Between Anchorage and Minneapolis, Delta offers two daily 757 nonstop flights: one red-eye (departing 9:35 p.m.) and the other flight departing at 6 a.m. The price of $271 each way is one of the best prices I've seen all year. Last month, the price was $729 round-trip.
From Anchorage to Chicago, both Alaska Airlines and United offer daily nonstop service. United leaves at 8:03 p.m. while Alaska departs at 11:20 p.m. Both airlines are offering this six-hour flight for as little as $249 each way. That is a great deal.
All of the other wintertime nonstop flights from Anchorage go due south: to Hawaii.
Between Anchorage and Honolulu, Alaska Airlines flies four times each week. This is high season, and I could only find one day (Nov. 10) when the flight was priced at $259 each way. All of the other departures in November were at least $351 each way.
Alaska's seasonal nonstops between Anchorage and Maui start up on Nov. 3. There still are a couple of dates (Nov. 17 and Nov. 24) when seats are available for $278 each way. The nonstop flights operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
This year, Alaska is offering twice-weekly nonstops from Anchorage to Kona (up from once a week last year). The flights operate on Fridays and Saturdays. Right now, there still are four days in November when you can get a one-way ticket for $298 (Nov. 15, 21, 28 or 29).
Nonstop flights from Fairbanks to the Lower 48 are more limited. During the summer, you could fly to Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, Frankfurt, Seattle and Portland. As the snow starts to fly, only Alaska Airlines' three daily flights to Seattle remain. The prices start at $229 each way. By the way, Frontier Airlines is dropping its Denver-Fairbanks nonstop during the summer. So United canceled its nonstop flights as well. United still is offering a Chicago-Fairbanks nonstop in the summer. And Delta plans to return to Fairbanks next summer with daily nonstops to Seattle and Minneapolis.
During the winter, Juneau enjoys two daily nonstops to Seattle, priced now at $189 each way. Alaska offers three daily Ketchikan-Seattle nonstops, also priced at $189 each way.
Sometimes it pays to take a connecting flight. For example, if you're locked into Alaska's mileage program, you can trade a stop in Seattle on the way to Denver to get those extra miles. But consider that if you're flying on Delta's nonstops to Minneapolis or Seattle from Anchorage, you still can get full mileage credit on Alaska.
Important: Fares and schedules are subject to change. And they change all the time. I checked these schedules and rates using either the respective airline's own website or Google's ITA Software search tool. You cannot purchase tickets on the ITA website. Rather, you take the information and go to the airline site or to a travel agent.
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members could accrue mile on the USAir nonstop between Anchorage and Phoenix by booking it as an American Air flight. This is not true.