The Cheap Flights Weekly Roundup

As airlines launched continental sales, more low-cost routes were confirmed, and a number of U.S. carriers were awarded approval for flights to China.

Airline Sales and Deals

Bon giorno, United - great rates to Rome and Milan United's extraordinarily reasonable rates to Rome and Milan can be yours, with discount airfares ranging upward from $252.

Delta Air Lines: great rates to three Latin cities Delta Air Lines is offering discounted fares from Atlanta to Managua, Quito, and Santiago

Hello DC! Virgin America to launch transcon, sets sale Virgin America is promoting a system-wide discount airfare sale, with seats selling for as little as $39, one-way, from Washington, DC to Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Nothing like being there – football and Cheapflights

So you’ve got a big, flat-screen television with wraparound sound and a satellite dish sitting atop your garage, all so you don’t miss your favorite NFL game. Cheapflights understands that you’re a fan, unapologetic and uncompromising. You’re just the kind of person who would give up your favorite easy chair for a 30-yard line seat in the stadium in some faraway place such as Soldier Field, Texas Stadium, the RCA Dome, or even the hallowed “Frozen Tundra” of Green Bay’s Lambeau Field.

The issue is how do you get there?

Cheapflights.com can help. Type in your city of origin, and where you want to go. Cheapflights.com will display all the options – all the rates, all the airlines on all the dates. You’re in control of the deals.

Fly ATA to DC or the Big Apple for less

If autumn in New York or fall in D.C. sound intriguing, discount airline ATA has some cool deals. One-way, off-peak discount airfares start at $59.

To get one of these discount airfares you’ll have to book and buy no later than Monday, October 1. That gives you this weekend to plan. Then, travel through November 15, just before the Thanksgiving holiday season takes hold.

All the discount airfares quoted below are one-way, and some of the service may be via ATA‘s partner Southwest Airlines. Neither taxes nor fees are included in these deals. Be prepared to fly Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays, the off-peak days.

Second Detroit-China flight launched

A second flight from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to China has been confirmed. The Department of Transportation approved a Northwest Airlines service between the Michigan airport and Shanghai earlier this week.

Now China's largest airline, China Southern, has confirmed plans to offer a daily round-trip flight between Detroit and Beijing. Starting in March 2009, the flights will be operated with new Boeing 787 aircraft.

Lester Robinson, Chief Executive of the Wayne County Airport Authority, commented on the flights, which were announced at a conference in Stockholm yesterday (Thursday, September 27).

Comair upgrades its fleet

© Comair

Comair began flights yesterday (Thursday, September 28) with two brand new CRJ-900 jets.

The Delta Air Lines subsidiary operated a 7:45am flight from Cincinnati/North Kentucky International to Philadelphia. The 76-seat aircraft, made by Bombardier, are quieter and more fuel efficient than many other jets.

- Buying a First-Class ticket for one of the new Comair flights gives passengers the chance to enjoy Delta's "signature cocktail" service.

JetBlue builds up Boston – extra Florida flights

When discount airline JetBlue decided to make Boston Logan International a focus city a few years back the move transformed air travel for New Englanders taking what was once a relatively high-fare airport and transforming it into a cheap flight launchpad.

JetBlue is building on a good thing, laying on extra flights to Florida out of Logan. The discount airline has added five new nonstops: one each to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Fort Myers (RSW), Orlando (MCO), Tampa (TPA), and West Palm Beach (PBI). That makes for as many as 28 daily Boston to Florida departures daily. JetBlue says it offers more frequencies on Florida runs out of Logan than any other carrier.

At Boston Logan you’ll find JetBlue operating out of its newly renovated Terminal C.

KLM announces D/FW-Amsterdam service

After much speculation surrounding the arrival of a new international service at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has confirmed a daily nonstop service to Amsterdam.

Beginning March 30, 2008, KLM will operate the route with Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The daily flights have been launched as part of KLM's joint venture with Northwest Airlines, and will make D/FW the Dutch carrier's 12th US destination.

Peter Hartman, President and Chief Executive of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, confirmed the launch yesterday (Thursday, September 27). "The Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is an important part of the growing global economy," he said.

Fancy First Class? United puts pointy end of plane on sale

© United Airlines

This is rare: a First-Class seat sale. United is the airline, and this Saturday is the date. The nation’s second-largest carrier is putting First-Class seats in North America on sale, with discount airfares starting in the $228 range.

That $228 buys one-way First-Class passage from San Francisco (SFO) to Calgary (YYC). You’ll have to travel out this Saturday, September 29. There are no minimum-stay requirements attached to these one-way discount airfares, and neither taxes nor fees are included. There is no need to make a round-trip purchase to land them.

UA (the airline’s code) is putting Saturday First-Class seats on sale because business travelers don’t travel much on the sixth day of the week. That means there are fewer upgrades by elite Mileage Plus members. United would like to fill as many premium seats as it can with paying passengers, and it’s willing to discount those seats to do it.

US Airways ends Charleston-Pittsburgh flights

US Airways is to end its services between Charleston, W-VA, and Pittsburgh, PA. The carrier will terminate the last of its three daily flights between Yeager Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport in December, it was confirmed Wednesday (September 26).

The cancellation of commercial air service between the two cities was confirmed at a meeting of Yeager Airport's governing board.

Rick Atkinson, Airport Director, explained the decision in conversation with The Charleston Gazette. "Pittsburgh was the No. 1 hub airport when I started here," he said, "but it just doesn't have the connections to other major cities that it used to have. The problem now is that there aren't enough seats going out of Pittsburgh to justify those coming in."

Skybus looks at new base

Skybus is reportedly looking at establishing a new base at Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI).

The Ohio-based discount carrier plans to create a second "focus city", to mirror its services out of Columbus, according to The Winston-Salem Journal.

Bob Tenenbaum, a Skybus Spokesman, told the newspaper that six cities were under consideration, but only explained the purpose of the new base, rather than naming the chosen few. "Aircrafts would be based there, and there would be direct flights from that city to other destinations without going through Columbus," he explained.