Airline Specials - Internet References

Do all airlines have sales? It seems like it. Of course, they don't have them every day, but it seems that the always have a special or two in place at any given time. Sometimes, when a price war goes into effect or the seasonal fares change, the prices can become quite lucrative. Occasionally, someone actually makes a mistake and enters a number into the computer incorrectly and a really great deal materializes until someone catches it. These are some good places to go look and see who has what on sale.

American Airlines has some good flight specials, especially for someone who lives relatively close to Dallas, TX. Yes, I have to wade through several screens, picking my departure location from the list of 'Featured Cities' for every screen, but, unfortunately, that's how the best deals are sometimes found. Find American Route Maps here.

Delta seems to have more than one hub. That's good for people living in the areas of Atlanta, Detroit, and New York. Find Delta Route Maps here.

United is my least favorite Web site for finding deals. Maybe that's because they fly no international routes out of an airport anywhere close to me. Find United Route Maps here.

Continental doesn't seem to do a lot of promotion, but like most other airlines, it tends to price match for selected markets. Continental's major international hubs are Houston and New York. Find Continental Route Maps here and here.

U.S. Airways is not one of the major overseas carriers. It does however, have some good deals to Mexico. Find U.S. Airways Route Maps here and here.

Spirit Airlines has some really great fares to the Caribbean and South America. I'm all excited because they started service out of DFW this summer. I've already started flying with them and they've already started irritating me by telling me that I have to pay at least $30 each way to put my rucksack in their cabin. maybe these guys aren't such a good deal after all. Find U.S. Airways Route Maps here.

British Airways has a great Web site and make finding their best price to all the places they fly as easy as I've ever seen it done. From the point of view of a programmer, I'd say the user interface is as good as it gets. Currently. Find British Airways Route Maps here.

BMI is British Midland International and you might be surprised how good a deal they can give their U.S. cousins to a variety of locations throughout the world. Plus, it's quite easy to see what their specials are at any given time. Find BMI Route Maps here.

Ryanair is my favorite airline in Europe. Okay, their service doesn't begin to match up to some of the bigger airlines and they irritate the heck out of me with their picky little fees that I have to pay every time I turn around and their airports are miles and miles from the city where I'm going, but I can stand a little irritation for the money that they save me. They only fly around Europe. Currently. Find Ryanair Route Maps here.

Easyjet is one of the favorite low-cost airlines in Europe. I've never flown with them, but I've only heard positive things about them from lots of people in Europe. Sure, they're a budget airline. Sure, they take the no-frills approach to flying. What's always amazed me was how cheap the Europeans got to fly around their continent. Easyjet, like Ryanair, only flies around Europe. Currently. Find Easyjet Route Maps here.

Lufthansa has been known to have some really great deals. In general, they are very price competitive. Their service is great. Find Lufthansa Route Maps here.

Iberia has also been known to have some really great deals. In general, they are very price competitive. I've flown with them and can testify that their service is great. It's always struck me that the major airlines of Europe and Asia had much better service than their American counterparts.

Air Asia is my airline of choice when I'm in Asia. Not because of their service and not because it's easy to book with them. It's because of their prices, which are incredible. Yes, they're a hassle and I have trouble making booking from the U.S. They rarely leave on time, but they seem to get there reasonably close to when they are supposed to. Yes, they use airports that aren't always the best ones and can be a little removed from the city where I'm going. Yes, they charge you for every peanut. But in the end, their deals are just too good to pass up. Find Air Asia Route Maps here and here.