Summer's almost over. That's terrible news, unless you're shopping for airline tickets. That's because airfares between Alaska and the Lower 48 are cheap.
Mind you, there have been great fares all summer long. But all of the airlines are fighting each other to get the last summertime travelers. That's the big reason fares are dropping from Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau.
From Anchorage to Seattle, Delta and JetBlue are offering round-trip tickets from $177. Alaska is selling theirs at $199 round-trip. You have to make reservations two weeks in advance to get the best deals. But even seven days out, the fare is just $237 round-trip on Alaska, Delta or JetBlue.
Portland has eclipsed Seattle as the cheapest gateway to the Lower 48 because of JetBlue's new nonstop flight. Sure, it's a red-eye, arriving bright and early at 4:34 a.m. in Portland. But it costs just $157 round-trip from Anchorage with a two-week advance purchase. The fares are good through Sept. 5, when JetBlue stops flying. After that, the rate doubles to $316 round-trip (after Sept. 22). Competition really makes a difference on these routes.
JetBlue really is the low fare leader to Seattle, Portland and Long Beach. The best price from Anchorage to Long Beach is on the nonstops, as low as $197 round-trip between Aug. 27 and Sept. 4.
The fares to nearby LAX are more, but not much. Delta offers the lowest fare at $259 round-trip, starting Sept. 15, via Seattle. Alaska Airlines offers the nonstop flight for as little as $299 round-trip. Important: Fares are subject to change -- and they change all the time.
I've heard from more than one San Franciscan, upset that L.A.-area travelers are getting all the best deals. "Why does it cost more to fly to San Francisco?" they lament. "It's not as far."
It's true. The airlines don't burn as much fuel on a trip to San Francisco. But there is no correlation between the fare and the routing. For example, a ticket from Anchorage to Kenai costs $170 round-trip -- more than a ticket to Portland. So, the real reason the fare is higher to San Francisco than to Portland or Los Angeles is that there's not a fare war between Virgin America or JetBlue and Alaska Airlines or Delta. It's the competition that keeps fares low. When competition wanes, fares go up. Right now, fares from Anchorage to the Bay Area are hovering around $340 round-trip on Alaska or Delta. If you really want to save some money, fly nonstop on JetBlue to Long Beach, then fly back up the coast on a connecting flight for as little as $291 round-trip.
Are you feeling lucky? Fares from Anchorage to Las Vegas are very low. Delta offers a $305 round-trip with a two-week advance purchase.
Flights to other popular destinations like Denver and Salt Lake City are available for less than $400 round-trip. The standout deal to the East Coast is the fare from Anchorage to Boston on Delta for as little as $406 round-trip.
Check Alaska Airlines' Fall Sale for good rates to otherwise pricey cities, including Anchorage-Atlanta for $450 round-trip. Fly Alaska nonstop to Chicago for $502 round-trip starting Sept. 29.
Because of the war between Delta and Alaska, Juneau, Fairbanks, Ketchikan and Sitka are cashing in on some great fares.
From Fairbanks to Seattle, the lowest rate is $260 round-trip with a two-week advance purchase. Both Delta and Alaska Airlines offer the fare. Delta just has one flight each day, departing at 12:45 a.m. During the summer, Alaska offers four nonstops each day. Even during the Christmas holiday, the rates have dropped. One-way fares between Fairbanks and Seattle between December 17 and 21 range from $175 to $355 on Delta. Corresponding fares on Alaska Airlines range from $271 to $417 one-way.
Flying from Fairbanks to Portland is even cheaper than to Seattle: $255 round-trip on Delta with a seven-day advance purchase.
Starting Sept. 25, the rate from Fairbanks to Los Angeles drops to $269 round-trip on Delta. The price on Alaska Airlines is $394 round-trip. From Fairbanks to Sacramento, starting on Sept. 25, Delta is selling seats for $320 round-trip. On Alaska, the same ticket costs $400 round-trip. From Fairbanks to Las Vegas, starting Sept. 26, the rate is $324 round-trip on Delta. On Alaska, the same ticket costs $476 round-trip.
Both Alaska Airlines and Delta offer a great fare to Boston starting Sept. 27: just $426 round-trip. There are more available dates in October and November.
Between Juneau and Seattle, Delta and Alaska both offer a fare of $260 round-trip with just a seven-day advance purchase. Delta has one flight each day at 6:00 a.m. Alaska offers five nonstops each day during the summer.
If you're flying to Los Angeles from Juneau, the fare is just $269 round-trip on Delta, starting later in August with a two-week advance purchase. Alaska Airlines charges $409 round-trip in late August, dropping to $370 round-trip after Sept. 27.
Traveling to Las Vegas from Juneau is a bargain: just $307 round-trip on Delta with a seven-day advance purchase. Alaska's price is $374 round-trip between Aug. 26 and Sept. 5.
One of the best deals for Juneau travelers is the rate to Boston: just $415 round-trip on Delta with a seven-day advance purchase, available in August and September. You have to make two stops: one in Seattle and another in either Atlanta or Minneapolis. But that is a great deal.
Travelers in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau can count on low fares all year as long as the war continues between Delta and Alaska. For travelers in Ketchikan and Sitka, the good rates will last as long as Delta flies, until Sept. 7. Between Ketchikan and Seattle on Sept. 7, travelers can choose from five nonstop flights: four on Alaska or one on Delta (operated by Skywest). All of them are available for $130 one-way.
The next day, Sept. 8, Alaska Airlines offers three flights. Delta has none. The lowest one-way fare increases to $202. That's how airlines work.
It's the same story in Sitka. On Sept. 6, travelers can fly nonstop on two Alaska flights or one Delta flight. The cost? $122 each way. Starting Sept. 8, there are no more nonstops. During the fall and winter, Alaska's flights stop in Ketchikan. The fare goes up to $199 each way.
Again, fares change without notice. This summer, they've changed for the better thanks to increased competition. It's clear travelers in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau will continue to enjoy discounted fares as long as Delta and Alaska are fighting. That's because when airlines are mad at each other, the traveler wins.
Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty-destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. You can follow him on Twitter (@alaskatravelGRM) and alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.