Alaska News

Scott McMurren: Airlines at war is a win for travelers this summer

While the month of May offers great opportunities for early-season discounts around the state, it also signals an annual glut of new carriers that line up to fight for their share of summertime tourist traffic. That means lower fares and more frequent service. What's not to love?

Please note that fares change all the time. The good news is that most fares are changing for the better -- heading lower as May approaches. Let's take a look at the most popular routes:

Anchorage-Seattle: We've talked about the "Battle for Seattle" all winter -- and it's a wonderful thing to watch the spite and malice play out between Alaska Airlines and Delta. If you have two weeks' advance notice, the cost is just $251 roundtrip. That's a great deal.

But the real spoiler on this route is JetBlue. Starting on May 15, JetBlue brings in a red-eye flight and is selling seats for as little as $197 roundtrip.

Anchorage-Portland: As is often (not always) the case with airfares, you have to plan at least two weeks out to get the best deal. Delta has the best offer for $272 roundtrip via Seattle. Alaska's nonstop flights are available for $359 roundtrip ($87 more). Is it worth it? I think so. But if I was buying tickets for the kids to fly south, I'd be perfectly willing to let them cool their jets in Seattle for awhile to save the money!

Again, JetBlue is messing things up! The carrier is starting nonstop Anchorage-Portland service on June 18. Starting June 20, you can fly JetBlue nonstop to Portland for as little as $197 roundtrip.

Anchorage-San Francisco: The fares from Anchorage to the City by the Bay are higher -- but less than they used to be thanks to the fight between Alaska and Delta. Delta offers flights through Seattle for $390 roundtrip. Alaska offers it for a couple of dollars more, $392 roundtrip. Of course, the folks at Alaska Airlines will remind you that Club 49 members (all of us) can check two bags free.

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Oh -- are you wondering about the Anchorage-San Francisco nonstop on United Airlines? Are you sitting down? They want $813 roundtrip. #Fail

Anchorage-Los Angeles: Alaska Airlines has a great deal on its nonstop flight between May 6 and May 23: $319 roundtrip. I think fares will stay low on this route all summer long, because of JetBlue's nonstop between Anchorage and Long Beach: as low as $263 roundtrip. This is a great deal, which starts on May 16.

Even in mid-July, the peak-of-the-peak season, JetBlue offers the Anchorage-Long Beach flights for just a little more: $293 roundtrip. Anchorage-Los Angeles flights on Delta, via Seattle, are selling for $328 roundtrip. Alaska Air's nonstops are available in mid-July for $359 roundtrip. If you really love LAX (some people do), those are great prices. But Long Beach Airport is closer to Disneyland!

Anchorage-Las Vegas: Feeling lucky? Fly nonstop from Anchorage to Las Vegas between May 8 and May 29 for as little as $333 roundtrip. Starting May 17, you can fly JetBlue through Long Beach and catch a connecting flight to Sin City for as little as $318 roundtrip.

Anchorage-Salt Lake City: Can you say "fortress hub"? Even though Alaska Airlines has opened a "mini-hub" with nonstop service to a gob of cities (not including Anchorage), the fare remains high. Delta's nonstop starts May 23, for as little as $504 roundtrip. If you want to save some money, fly to Long Beach on JetBlue and take a connecting flight to Salt Lake City. The price? As little as $318 roundtrip. Sure, it's the long way around the bush. But if you're taking the whole family, saving $186 per person can add up quickly.

Anchorage-Denver: Oh, how we miss Frontier Airlines and their cheap flights to the Mile High City. This summer, airlines will be making up for lost revenue by boosting fares. United's nonstop is available in early may for "just" $845 roundtrip. In mid-May, after May 17, the price drops to "only" $745 roundtrip. Gah. By comparison, Alaska's early-May fare of $432 roundtrip, via Seattle or Portland, seems like a bargain.

Anchorage-Minneapolis: This should be a bargain. But it's not. Sun Country Airlines flies each summer nonstop from the Twin Cities. It should offer a good deal in order to compete with Delta at its fortress hub. Butit doesn't. Sun Country's lowest published nonstop fare Anchorage-Minneapolis is $709 roundtrip, starting May 21. That's ridiculous.

What about Delta? The carrier is offering a real bargain at "just" $626 roundtrip on the nonstop. Go through Seattle and the price drops to $516 roundtrip.

Anchorage-Chicago: This is another market where I keep waiting for the dam to break. But it hasn't. Both Alaska and United offer nonstop flights. Alaska charges $646 roundtrip. United, bless their black hearts, charges even more: $706 roundtrip. The best deal is to fly to nearby Milwaukee for as little as $474 roundtrip on Delta (via Seattle and Minneapolis). You do the math.

By the way, prices like those to Minneapolis and Chicago are what make the "hidden city" option is so attractive to travelers, despite the airlines' vigorous protestations and lawsuits against sites like Skiplagged.com. This site points out the obvious silliness in the airline tariffs when it comes to fortress hubs. And the airlines are embarrassed, so they're suing the developer of the site. Getting a lower price using the hidden city method has its own set of risks and rewards. The airlines could eliminate the hidden city "problem" by lowering the prices to its fortress hubs like Minneapolis and Chicago.

Anchorage-Boston: Right now, Boston is the cheapest East Coast gateway from Anchorage, with fares as low as $473 roundtrip (departing May 28) on Delta. I expect to see more fireworks on this route all summer long.

Anchorage-New York: Delta offers a $483 roundtrip fare, departing May 28. Anything under $500 to the East Coast for a roundtrip ticket is a good deal, though.

Anchorage-Washington, D.C.: The best deal I could find is $528 roundtrip on Alaska Air, flying into Baltimore and out of Dulles. Sigh.

Anchorage-Atlanta. Delta is resuming its seasonal nonstop on May 22. The price? $709 roundtrip. Shave $92 off the price by making a stop in Salt Lake. Personally, I would stick with the nonstop.

Anchorage-Austin, Texas: United has a good deal for $408 roundtrip starting on June 3.

One of the best developments this spring is the introduction of great fares to Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka. This is all because of Delta's big Seattle offensive and Alaska Airlines' pushback -- and that makes for some great deals.

Fairbanks-Seattle: Fly for $220 roundtrip, nonstop on Alaska, with two weeks' notice. Delta's flights start on May 16 for the same price.

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Juneau-Seattle: Alaska Airlines offers a $220 roundtrip fare right now, with two weeks' advance notice. Delta's flights start on May 16 for the same price.

Sitka-Seattle: When Delta starts on May 16, using a SkyWest regional jet, it will be the only nonstop flight to Seattle. The price? $208 roundtrip. Alaska starts its own nonstop from Sitka on May 27 for the same price.

Ketchikan-Seattle: The prevailing rate between Ketchikan and Seattle is $220 roundtrip on both Alaska and Delta. Delta's flights start on May 16.

Airfares change all the time. But they're changing dramatically next month -- and that's good news for travelers.

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.

Scott McMurren

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. Subscribe to his e-newsletter at alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.

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