Get into the spirit of the season with United’s discount deals

This one is going to take a bit of planning. You’ll have to check the calendar closely on United Airlines' Web site to see which days work, but if you’re willing to be flexible some sensational seasonal savings can be had on the nation’s second-largest airline. Discount airfares start at $39.

First, go to www.united.com and click on "Deals" at the top of the page. Then, go to Get into the spirit of going sale. There’s United Airlines' sale calendar.

To land one of these discount airfares, book and buy no later than December 21. Then, travel on select dates through January 5, 2007, for U.S. and Canadian continental destinations, and February 13 for Hawaii.

Here’s what’s neat: no advance purchase is necessary for Continental U.S. and Canadian destinations. Hawaii entails a seven-day advance buy. Continental U.S. and Canadian discount airfares require a one-night minimum stay; Hawaii a three-night stay. Neither taxes nor fees are included in the discount airfares we’re about to quote. They’re extra. Finally, all these quotes are one-way. A round-trip purchase is required.

This is just a sampling of the savings:

Chicago O’Hare (ORD) – Boston (BOS) $99

Chicago O’Hare – Denver (DEN) $99

Denver – Orlando (MCO) $99

Chicago O’Hare – Kansas City (MCI) $49

Denver – Washington, DC $99

Denver – Winnipeg (YWG) $130

Los Angeles (LAX) – Las Vegas (LAS) $39

Los Angeles – Portland, OR (PDX) $108

New York – San Francisco (SFO) $159

San Antonio (SAT) – Washington, DC $ 129

San Francisco – Los Angeles $54

Seattle/Tacoma (SEA) – Tampa (TPA) $163

Washington, DC – Orlando $99

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler