Anchorage Daily News

What's on tap for travel this fall?

First, several airlines, including Alaska, have announced cutbacks in service. This month, several airlines will stop serving Alaska during the winter, including United, Frontier, Sun Country, Air Canada, American and Condor.

Those that are left are tending to trim their schedules, including Continental, Northwest, Delta and Alaska.

Alaska Airlines is dropping several nonstop routes for the winter, including Anchorage-Denver, Anchorage-San Francisco and Anchorage-Vancouver. While the carrier makes seasonal reductions on some of its other southbound flights, it also will bring back its daily service between Anchorage and Honolulu on Oct. 31. On the same day, the airline will inaugurate thrice-weekly Anchorage-Maui nonstop service. Also, Alaska is starting Seattle-Kona and Seattle-Minneapolis service.

Continental is dropping its nonstop service to Houston this winter. Delta is dropping its Anchorage-Cincinnati and Anchorage-Atlanta nonstops. Northwest is dropping its Anchorage-Detroit nonstop.

These seasonal reductions are nothing new for Alaska travelers. It happens at the end of every summer. In the Lower 48, some carriers are planning more dramatic cuts as a way to limit the availability of discount seats. That will make it more difficult for travelers to redeem frequent-flier miles, particularly at the saver level. This makes your miles worth even less, especially since airlines are bumping up the cost in miles at the same time.

Airlines still will have to offer fare sales to fill planes during the lean winter months. Consumers have come to expect good deals during the off-season, increased fuel costs notwithstanding. The upcoming Permanent Fund dividend fare sales are a good example, particularly for Bush Alaska. But other sales already are in the works. Just last week, for example, Alaska Airlines offered $149 one-way fares between Anchorage and either Seattle or Portland. You have to subscribe to Alaska Airlines' Insider newsletter to get the special discount code. It's free. Just go to the airline's Web site: www.alaskaair.com. I snapped up a nonstop flight to Portland, which usually costs more than $250 each way.

Even so, it is important for travelers to understand the true cost of their trip. That means considering extra baggage charges plus in-flight charges for meals and entertainment.

Earlier in the summer, Continental was offering weekend specials between Anchorage and Seattle for as little as $300 round trip. Watch for these last-minute specials to start popping up as the days grow shorter.

Another Web site, smartertravel.com, is pretty good about catching last-minute specials as they arise. You can subscribe for free e-mail updates. I have friends who use Travelzoo.com to get great package deals to Europe.

All summer, we've enjoyed great in-state fares between Anchorage and Fairbanks, Anchorage and Kodiak and Anchorage-Cordova. As long as both Alaska Airlines and Era Aviation serve these markets, look for that trend to continue.

Up in Fairbanks, as the tourists leave, the hotel rates start to drop. Right now, you can get $99 special rates at some nice hotels, including the Fairbanks Princess. Watch for the rates to fall even further, though.

Again, there's no question there will be airfare discounts this fall. We're still in a holding pattern because of the bumped-up schedule of the PFD distributions. In the Lower 48, the first post-Labor Day specials already have been announced.

So keep an eye on your favorite destination, and be ready to buy when the specials are announced.

Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based travel marketing consultant. Contact him via his travel blog, www.alaskatravelgram.com.

Scott's tips

• SMARTER TRAVEL: Good travel information site. E-mails alert you to last-minute specials.

smarter travel.com

• TRAVEL ZOO: Great for package deals.

travelzoo.com

• TRIP ADVISOR: A reference to see how other travelers like a destination, hotel or resort.

tripadvisor.com

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