Southwest To Start NYC Flights in June, Intro Fares from $99 OW

Beginning June 28th, Southwest Airlines will launch flights into New York City's La-Guardia airport - likely to the upset of rivals. According to the airline's website, introductory one-way fares start at just $99 each way from the San Francisco Bay Area for tickets purchased by April 20th, with travel dates June 29 through August 13, 2009. 

Mainline carriers such as United and American often frown when low-cost-carriers such as Southwest enter a new market because although a higher demand for air travel increases because of discounted fares, the mainline carriers often need to lower their prices, sometimes significantly, to compete with Southwest's ongoing low fares. Click here for information on the Southwest $99 offer. 

Fares Drop To Orange County Ahead of Southwest & Virgin Service

By Mike Grasso

Last night, American and United Airlines dropped airfare between San Francisco and Orange County/John Wayne Airport. Both carriers now charge just $139 roundtrip "all in" (including taxes and fees), for travel between April 30 and June 10, 2009. Historically fares on this route averaged over $200 because United and American had a stronghold on this market, as the sole airlines operating flights between the two cities.

Why the sudden drop in fares? 10 new daily flights down to Orange County.

Come April 30th, Virgin America will intensify competition by operating five daily flights between SFO and Orange County. Then, Southwest starts service between the two cities on May 9th, also operating five times each day. Passenger capacity (available seats) on the ten new daily departures will increase significantly as well since both Virgin America and Southwest operate mainline aircraft which carry at least 120 passengers on each flight.

To compare, American flies smaller 44-seat regional jets and United uses a mixture of mainline and regional aircraft between the two cities. The total number of available seats will climb sharply just in time for the Summer, and with demand for air travel easing, airlines have no choice but to cut airfares.

So now is a great time to start planning that family vacation to Sunny Southern California and Disneyland. Click any of the travel search engines on the left column to begin your airfare search.

Southwest Announces Service Between SFO and Orange County

Beginning May 9th, Southwest Airlines will begin nonstop service between San Francisco and Orange County/John Wayne Airports. This added route is in addition to several nonstop flights the airline offers between Oakland, San Jose and Sacramento and Orange County.

The company says it will launch with five daily flights, with scheduled departures throughout the day. Tickets are currently available from $69 each way, based on a 21-day advance purchase.

United Airlines has previously dominated the SFO-Orange County market often charging more than $200 roundtrip on this route. 

Oakland to Seattle $111 "all in" Through May 2009

HOT FARE!  

The cost to fly between the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle has really come down in the past couple weeks. Previously, fares of $69 each way were considered a steal.  Recently though, low fares of just $49 each way were available out of SFO on Virgin America and United, but were limited to travel through December. Today, Southwest and Alaska Airlines released some of the lowest fares we've seen in quite a while:

Fly Oakland to Seattle non-stop for just $45 each way + tax on Southwest Airlines.  This fare is available seven days a week through the end of their schedule - May 8, 2009.  Alaska Airlines is available for $4 more round-trip