- Airfare is lower than ever as carriers try to draw customers back in.
- The average domestic ticket price is $245, the lowest on record.
- Airlines are using available cheap planes and laid off flight crews to offer low prices.
- Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.
Airlines are using cut-rate ticket prices to appeal to customers ready to travel again after a year of the pandemic.
The latest average domestic fair reported by the Department of Transportation is $244.79, the lowest on record according to DOT. That price is down 30% compared to last year at the same time, Bloomberg reported.
Carriers around the world cut $1 billion in daily expenses last year as demand for travel plummeted, Bloomberg reported. Those savings are giving the airlines the freedom to slash fares and entice customers back.
Video: Southwest Airlines will soon be serving Bellingham (KING-TV Seattle)
Vote 'Ellie the Fluffy Corgi' from Lynnwood to win America's Favorite Pet
KING-TV Seattle
Seattle, King County dig new tunnel to reduce sewage in waterways
KING-TV Seattle
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival makes changes to return for 2021
KING-TV Seattle
Seattle teachers, district continue negotiations as return to class date gets closer
KING-TV Seattle
Southwest Airlines will soon be serving Bellingham
KING-TV Seattle
Someone has been shooting crows in a Mountlake Terrace neighborhood
KING-TV Seattle
One man dies, another in custody after shooting on transit bus in Everett
KING-TV Seattle
Man charged with murder after altercation on transit bus in Everett turned deadly
KING-TV Seattle
King County to vote on $4/hour hazard pay for grocery workers Tuesday
KING-TV Seattle
Woman killed, suspect arrested after deadly collision in Pierce County
KING-TV Seattle
Seattle Humane latest target in spike of catalytic converter thefts
KING-TV Seattle
Spike in catalytic converter thefts reported across western Washington
KING-TV Seattle
Muslim community celebrates groundbreaking of first mosque in Mukilteo
KING-TV Seattle
Benefit of kids returning to classrooms in Washington outweighs risk of virus, some experts say
KING-TV Seattle
Vote 'Ellie the Fluffy Corgi' from Lynnwood to win America's Favorite Pet
Ellie the Fluffy Corgi from Lynnwood is in the running to win America's Favorite Pet race.
KING-TV Seattle
Seattle, King County dig new tunnel to reduce sewage in waterways
When rainwater overwhelms the combined sewer system, it sends untreated waste into our waterways. Utilities officials say a new tunnel in Ballard will reduce that.
KING-TV Seattle
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival makes changes to return for 2021
Anyone hoping to visit Tulip Town or RoozenGaarde will have to make reservations online.
KING-TV Seattle
Experts are predicting a return to normal as early as summer 2021, and vaccination rates continue to rise. Airlines are offering cheap rates and flexible booking policies to get people in seats as soon as possible.
Load Error
All three big US airlines, United, Delta, and American, along with other smaller ones have stopped charging change and cancellation fees on many flights, excluding the lowest basic economy fares. Insider previously outlined which airlines are the best bets to book in 2021 here.
Major airlines are also continuing to add new destinations as they seek to capitalize on the downturn and come out stronger. Low-cost carrier Southwest announced it will add Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Bellingham, Washington; and Eugene, Oregon this summer. These newest destinations were in addition to the Florida and Montana destinations and the 19 new routes Southwest announced in December, including service between Houston and Chicago, Houston and Dallas, and others.
Domestic budget airline Allegiant Air similarly took on a major expansion, announcing 21 new routes and three new destinations beginning in March. Small carriers like Allegiant are expected to recover from the effects of the last year faster than larger airlines that rely on domestic and international trips, Tom Pallini reported.
Airlines can save on costs even further with the availability of thousands of employees laid off in the last year looking for work, and the chance to buy unwanted planes from cancelled orders at discount prices. Traveler numbers, however, remain about 50% of last year’s levels, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
Source: Read Full Article