Who Has the Cheapest Any-Seat Walk-Up Airfare? Southwest for $299, Delta for $499, American $699, all others $1,128, Says Bestfares.com

Who Has the Cheapest Any-Seat Walk-Up Airfare? Southwest for $299, Delta for $499, American $699, all others $1,128, Says Bestfares.com

ARLINGTON, Texas, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Flying coast-to-coast, or just 500 one-way miles? With the recent news of simplified fare structures at the major legacy carriers, it can be difficult to decide where the best deal is.

"From your home airport, the no-advance last-seat available walk-up fares can still vary like day and night, depending on which two cities you're flying between," says Tom Parsons, CEO of Bestfares.com, an internet travel site.

For example, between Baltimore and San Diego, a market served by low-cost king Southwest Airlines, the no-advance purchase last-minute walk-up airfare is $299 one-way. Other major airlines competing on that route have matched Southwest's airfares with capacity-controlled seating. Delta's maximum walk- up airfare with no capacity control in coach, as announced Wednesday, is $499 one-way. American has matched with its own capacity controls for both Southwest and Delta airfares, and offers last-seat available airfares of $699 one-way.

Northwest, Continental, United and US Airways have similar capacity controls of both Southwest and Delta airfares, but no caps of maximum airfares. Northwest's last-seat available full-coach airfare is $1,128 one- way.

"The difference today is not as clear as you would think," says Parsons. "The word to the wise: be cautious out there! The difference between the airfares of one airline and another one flying the same route, especially on walk-up airfares, can still be over a thousand dollars roundtrip. Consumers should watch fares, especially those served by America West, Southwest, AirTran, Spirit, JetBlue and ATA. In many cases the routes served by these low-cost carriers will save consumers hundreds of dollars compared to the routes served by the legacy carriers' new fares on non-competitive routes."

Bestfares.com's Tom Parsons, one of the most sought-after travel industry experts in the United States, has been chasing down hidden travel bargains and bringing them to the traveling public for 20 years. Parsons regularly appears on NBC's Today Show, ABC's Good Morning America, CBS's The Early Show, CNN, Fox and MSNBC.

To schedule an interview with Parsons about airfare news, contact the Media Relations department at 800-576-8255, or by e-mail at media@bestfares.com .


Source: Bestfares.com

CONTACT: Media Relations of Bestfares.com, +1-800-576-8255, or
media@bestfares.com

Web site: http://www.bestfares.com/


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