No quite ready for winter? Follow the sun with these very special airfare deals.
Purchase tickets immediately to (no ticket-by date):
Nassau, Bahamasat $54 one-way on trips completed by Oct. 3, 2012. The sale also includes one-way rates to Montego Bay, Jamaica or Punta Cana, Dominican Republic of $64 and $70 to Freeport, Bahamas. Give a two-week advance purchase notice on trips to Freeport or Jamaica. No advance notice is required to Nassau. What's more, there are no blackout dates -- yet availability over peak holiday dates will be slim. Factor in about $20 each way for taxes and fees. A peak holiday surcharge of $30 may apply on dates in January and March. Travel is on USAirways/United via Charlotte, N.C.
Miami is priced at $94 round-trip on nonstop American Airlines flights on trips finished on or before Feb. 14. A one-week advance purchase notice is required. This rate is valid any day of the week. Blackout dates are Nov. 18, 19, 27, 28; Dec. 22, 23, 26; Jan. 1-12.
One-way rates to Cancun, Mexico are $115 on daily nonstop AirTran or Delta flights. Give at least a three day advance notice of travel. Blackout dates are Dec. 15-24, 26-31 south; Dec. 26-30; Jan. 1-8 returns. Additional taxes and fees are about $50 each way. The last permitted day of travel to Cancun on AirTran is June 1, 2012; Oct. 3, 2012 on Delta.
Visit sunny Palm Springs, Calif. and get there at one-way rates of $119 on trips finished on or before Feb. 15, 2012. A two-week advance purchase notice is required. Travel any available day of the week on Frontier (connection in Denver). There are no blackout dates on this offer. Add about $20 each way to cover additional taxes and fees.
Tucson in southern Arizona is priced at $139 on-way on trips finished on or before March 7. This rate is not valid on Sundays. A 21-day advance purchase is required. Blackout dates are Dec. 22, 23, 26, 27, 30; Jan. 1-3; Feb. 17, 20. Book with Frontier (connection via Denver). Add $20 each way for additional taxes and fees.
AirTran and Delta offer one-way rates of $59 to Jacksonville, Orlando, Pensacola, Sarasota, Tampa, Florida on trips finished on or before Feb. 14. Avoid the blackout dates of Nov. 23, 26-28; Dec. 22-Jan. 3. Give at least a ten-day advance notice of travel. Sale prices are permitted daily. You've got some wiggle room on these $59 deals with a ticket-by date of Nov. 14. Add $10-$15 each way for additional taxes and fees.
Sale airfares are always subject to change. Every seat on every flight is not offered at the lowest rate.
Since only a limited supply of seats is available, act quickly to make your purchase. I recommend starting the search for available seats at Kayak.com vs. calling an airline directly. You can also search for the sale at travel Web sites such as Expedia or Travelocity, etc.
Airlines can discontinue or pull a sale price without notice when the offer does not have a "ticket-by" date or when the offer is deemed "sold out."
Clara Bosonetto is a retired travel consultant.
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