Almost Free Airfare: Cheapest Deals in the Air

At a time when most airlines are limiting their discounts and deals, a few are rising up to offer some of the best deals the public has seen in a long time. And great timing, too; many people are feeling the pinch of the sagging economy. But with almost free airfare, the deals are too good to pass up, which is exactly what the airlines who are offering the deals are hoping for!

It is not uncommon to see flights only half filled to capacity these days. After all, who can afford airfare, checked baggage fees, airline fees and taxes as well as booking fees? These, in addition to your destination costs of hotels, rental cars and entertainment, make travel prohibitive for a good number of the population. Yet, costs for airfares remain high for most destinations.

There is hope on the horizon, however. A few airlines are beginning to offer some really great discounts and promotions on airfare; one in particular that is almost free! That’s right, fares so inexpensive they could be called almost free. While routes are limited, it’s important to remember that new deals are continually being offered to increase interest and patronage for major airlines. Some of the most recent next to nothing fares include:

Delta Airlines: Charlotte NC to Atlanta GA $78 round trip booked thru Oct.
AirTran: Atlanta GA to Charleston SC $78 round trip booked thru Oct.

As inexpensive as these flights are, there is yet one that is even cheaper. Probably the cheapest airfare deal that can be found, JetAmerica is offering $9 one way flights to various destinations! That’s right, nine dollars buys a one way flight to destinations such as New York, NY, Orlando, FL, Minneapolis, MN, South Bend, IN and Detroit, MI. Using Boeing 737-800 jets, every flight offers nine seats for only $9.00 on any select dates available for a total round trip cost of $28.00 plus taxes. That is as close to free airfare as a person is ever going to find, and the cheapest since the days of Skybus. Expect these great deals to sell out quickly, so booking your flight well ahead of time is a bonus. No $9 seats left on the flight you need? While disappointing, JetAmerica’s remaining flights are still up to 70% less than major airlines between their available destinations.

[smartads]So how can you know when these low, low fares become available? Since they book up fast, it is vital to know about the deals and book them quickly to ensure you are able to get the lowest prices. And, while most next to nothing airfares are limited in their destinations, it pays to watch closely as discounted fares are announced for offers in your area.

The best way to know about the almost free airfare deals is to sign up for alerts. A few different services offer to alert you about the latest deals, including Sherman’s Travel, TravelZoo, Travelocity and Kayak. By simply providing your name, email address, city and state, you will be placed on an alert list which is sent out immediately when great deals are offered by a variety of airlines, resorts, hotels and more.

Offering cheap airfare is one way to entice people to travel. And, when it is almost free to fly, it is too good to pass by.