Cherry-picking Alaska Airlines’ PFD sale

In Airfares, Alaska Travelgram by scott

Alaska Airlines has announced their annual PFD air fare sale. I’ve spent a week combing the deals. Here’s what we know:
Zone fares. For the most part, Alaska Air’s fares are zone-based. That means that all the towns (aside from Seattle) in Washington, Oregon and Idaho get the same rate. That’s great news if you’re going to some of the smaller towns in Oregon (Pendelton, North Bend) or Idaho (Idaho Falls, Lewiston).
Alaska’s rural communities. If you are going to or from Alaska’s smaller towns served by Alaska’s jets (Kodiak, Cordova, Kotzebue, King Salmon), this sale may represent the best prices of the year. Check ’em out.
Blackout dates. Travel on Fridays or Sundays is not available at the lowest rates (except to Hawaii and Mexico). It costs, on average, about $20 more each way.
From Alaska, no travel is permitted Nov. 20-21, 25, 28-30, Dec. 16-23, 2009 or Mar. 4-9, 2010. To Alaska, no travel is permitted Nov. 20-21, 25, 28-30, 2009 or Jan. 1-7, or Mar. 11-16, 2010.
Dollars and Cents. Here are some of the best deals:
Anchorage to:
–Seattle $199 ea. way or 418 roundtrip, all-in.
–Honolulu (nonstop) 209 ea. way or 438 rt all-in
–Portland 229 ea. way or 478 roundtrip, all-in.
(includes all destinations in Oregon, Washington and Idaho including Klamath Falls, Lewiston, Walla Walla…plus Arcata, CA and Redding, CA)
–Chicago (nonstop) 239 ea. way or 498 roundtrip, all-in
–San Francisco 249 ea. way or 539 rt all-in
(includes Reno, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Fresno)
–Billings, MT 249 ea. way or 539 rt all-in
(includes Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell)
All other destinations (Newark, Orlando, Houston, Minneapolis, Atlanta, etc.) also are available–but the prices are higher. Check the website.
From Fairbanks to:
–Seattle $249 ea way or $539 rt all-in
–Honolulu (via Anchorage-Honolulu nonstop) 259 ea way or 557rt all-in
–Portland 279 ea way or $600 rt all-in
(includes all destinations in Oregon, Washington and Idaho…plus Arcata, CA and Redding, CA)
–San Francisco 298 ea way or 638rt all-in (includes Oakland, San Jose, Reno, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Fresno)
–Billings 299 ea way or 638rt all-in (includes Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell)
From Juneau/Sitka/Petersburg/Wrangell  to:
–Seattle $179 ea way or 397rt all-in
–other cities in WA, OR, ID (plus Arcata, CA and Redding, CA): 460rt all-in
–Bay Area (SFO, SJC, OAK, SMF, RNO, STS, FAT): 498rt all-in
–Montana (BIL, BZN, FCA, GTF, MSO, HLN): 498rt all-in
–Southern California (LAX-area airports, SAN, Palm Springs): 539rt all-in
Check the website for departures from Bethel, Kodiak, Cordova, Nome, Kotzebue, Barrow, etc.
Purchase tickets by Nov. 2, 2009. Complete travel by Aug. 25, 2010. This is a developing story. Please stay tuned for updates.

Alaska Airlines is offering their annual PFD air fare sale through Nov. 2 ONLY. Below, I took this photo from Alaska Airlines flight #75 between Seattle and Juneau.

AS75

Here’s what we know:

Zone fares. For the most part, Alaska Air‘s fares are zone-based. That means that all the towns (aside from Seattle) in Washington, Oregon and Idaho get the same rate. That’s great news if you’re going to some of the smaller towns in Oregon (Pendelton, North Bend) or Idaho (Idaho Falls, Lewiston).

Alaska’s rural communities. If you are going to or from Alaska’s smaller towns served by Alaska’s jets (Kodiak, Cordova, Kotzebue, King Salmon), this sale may represent the best prices of the year. Check ’em out.

Blackout dates. Travel on Fridays or Sundays is not available at the lowest rates (except to Hawaii and Mexico). It costs, on average, about $20 more each way.

From Alaska, no travel is permitted Nov. 20-21, 25, 28-30, Dec. 16-23, 2009 or Mar. 4-9, 2010. To Alaska, no travel is permitted Nov. 20-21, 25, 28-30, 2009 or Jan. 1-7, or Mar. 11-16, 2010.

Dollars and Cents. Here are some of the best deals:

Anchorage to:

1. Seattle $199 ea. way or 418 roundtrip, all-in.

2. Honolulu (nonstop) 209 ea. way or 438 rt all-in.

3. Portland 229 ea. way or 478 roundtrip, all-in. (includes all destinations in Oregon, Washington and Idaho including Klamath Falls, Lewiston, Walla Walla…plus Arcata, CA and Redding, CA)

4. Chicago (nonstop) 239 ea. way or 498 roundtrip, all-in

5. San Francisco 249 ea. way or 539 rt all-in (includes Reno, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Fresno)

6. Billings, MT 249 ea. way or 539 rt all-in (includes Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell)

All other destinations (Newark, Orlando, Houston, Minneapolis, Atlanta, etc.). Check the website.

From Fairbanks to:

1. Seattle $249 ea way or $539 rt all-in

2. Honolulu (via Anchorage-Honolulu nonstop) 259 ea way or 557rt all-in

3. Portland 279 ea way or $600 rt all-in (includes all destinations in Oregon, Washington and Idaho…plus Arcata, CA and Redding, CA)

4. San Francisco 298 ea way or 638rt all-in (includes Oakland, San Jose, Reno, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Fresno)

5. Billings 299 ea way or 638rt all-in (includes Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell)

From Juneau/Sitka/Petersburg/Wrangell to:

1. Seattle $179 ea way or 397rt all-in.

2. Portland and all other cities in WA, OR, ID (plus Arcata, CA and Redding, CA): 460rt all-in

3. Bay Area (SFO, SJC, OAK, SMF, RNO, STS, FAT): 498rt all-in

4. Montana (BIL, BZN, FCA, GTF, MSO, HLN): 498rt all-in

5. Southern California (LAX-area airports, SAN, Palm Springs): 539rt all-in

Check the website for departures from Bethel, Kodiak, Cordova, Nome, Kotzebue, Barrow, etc.

Purchase tickets by Nov. 2, 2009. Complete travel by Aug. 25, 2010. This is a developing story. Please stay tuned for updates.

Follow Alaska Airlines on Twitter. They regularly post specials, the schedules for their “Nerd Bird” with wireless access–and more.

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