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Limits on a discount airfare"DISCOUNT AIRFARE"
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6/29/2001 Jun. 29--Finding rock-bottom airfares now is a hit-or-miss exercise because carriers are offering limited seats on selected flights. But make no mistake, the deals are out there. United Airlines and Frontier Airlines, the two biggest carriers at Denver International Airport, are offering Web-only discount airfares at a 20 percent discount on flights to many major markets. They've also slashed prices further on certain routes to compete with Delta Air Lines, which set off this unusual cheap airfares war to make up for slow business traffic. Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
"We're trying to drive traffic right now," said Sean Menke, Frontier's vice president of marketing and planning. "You don't do something like this unless you don't have enough people on your planes." Frontier will fly you to Boston and back for $351; Seattle for $237; and Los Angeles for $283. These discount airfare prices, however, were for September travel and may be sold out for July and August. The United, Frontier and Delta specials must be purchased by July 8 for travel through Oct. 21. Varying restrictions on advance purchase and length of stay apply. Several factors make this cheap airfares war different, and more complex, than past industrywide sales, travel experts said. First, 20 percent is a new high for an Internet-only discount airfare, said Henry Harteveldt, an analyst with Forrester Research. Five percent to 10 percent has been the standard. "There's been a lot more emphasis this time on buying (tickets) online. The airlines are trying to force people by the virtue of discount airfare price alone to go to their websites," Harteveldt said. But that doesn't mean the best airfares are necessarily at the carriers' websites, he said. Airlines also negotiate individual deals with online travel agencies such as Travelocity and Expedia. Some of those are in the 30 percent range now, he said. "You've got to check all the sites out there if you really want the lowest airfare," Harteveldt said. The fares aren't available by calling airlines' reservation lines, and travel agents have no better access to them than anyone else. The other wild card in finding a great discount airfare is availability. The number of seats offered at the discounted fares is limited. Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
"This sale is filling a gap here and a gap there. It all depends on the destination," said Terry Trippler, travel specialist with Onetravel.com. A search of Frontier's website found that few of its advertised bottom airfares were available for travel in July. Some were left for August, while plenty of discounted seats appeared to remain for September and October. Travelocity teased its members with bargain-basement airfares from Denver earlier this week, including $169 to Chicago and back and $198 round-trip to New York. But the flights weren't nonstop and were unavailable when The Denver Post tried to find them for travel on specific dates in July, August and September.... Compare and find a discount airfare here /cheap airfares home |