Discount Airfare: Virgin America's $59 Flights

Here’s a holiday present to start the New Year off right: a high-tech seat on low-fare/high-frills Virgin America. The carrier just announced a seat sale starting at $59, one-way (not including fees and taxes).

Book and buy at www.virginamerica.com no later than Dec. 11, and plan your Virgin America flights from Jan. 6, 2009 through March 3, 2009. These seats are not transferable or refundable, but you don’t have to buy a round-trip ticket to appreciate the sale.

Virgin America Launches Wi-Fi Flight

Everything connected at 35,000 feet above San Francisco when fliers on board Virgin America’s first Wi-Fi enabled plane opened their laptops and logged on to the Internet.

Virgin America, the California-based airline, launched its Wi-Fi enabled plane, in partnership with Gogo® Inflight Internet, and broadcasted live from 35,000 feet in the first ever “air-to-ground” video stream to YouTube Live.

Virgin America to Video Stream From Air to Ground

Virgin America (Web site: www.virginamerica.com) has announced that it is to video stream content over the Internet from the air to the ground.

On Sunday, November 22, the carrier's first Wi-Fi aircraft will video stream to San Francisco audiences during YouTube Live.

Virgin America Ups Washington Dulles Departures

The world is coming to Washington, D.C. for the January 20, 2009, inauguration of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, and so is discount airline Virgin America (Web site: www.virginamerica.com).

The high-frills/low-fare West Coast carrier is laying on a trio of extra round trips from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Washington Dulles between January 16 and January 23 to accommodate the crowds. That makes for a 23 percent increase in VX (that’s the carrier’s code) seats that critical week.

Virgin America Urges Flyers to Book Holiday Travel

Virgin America (Web site: www.virginamerica.com) is encouraging customers to book their holiday travel on one of its 750 flights between November 21 and 30.

The carrier expects to serve 85,000 passengers during this time, an increase of 121 percent compared to last year, but says there is still space for more.

Lack of Gates at O'Hare Airport - Virgin America Mulls Chicago Market

A failure to lease gates from other carriers at Chicago O'Hare International Airport has led Virgin America (Web site: www.virginamerica.com) to reconsider its plans to serve the airport.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the carrier will soon be faced with a choice as to whether to continue with its plans or not.

Eat, Drink, and Save Money on Virgin America

Discount airline Virgin America (Web site: www.virginamerica.com) bills itself as the only airline in America that lets you order food and drink by using a button on your seatback entertainment system, or the handheld remote control in your armrest. The food you order fits the California face that the San Francisco-based carrier projects. It's fresh, and healthy.

Consider: fruit and cheese; Duo Tea Sandwiches; Hummus, Veggies, and Pita; Vegetarian Greek Salad; Chicken Cobb Wrap. That's the anytime menu, and they're from a new menu that Virgin America has just rolled out.

New Menu on Virgin America Flights

Virgin America (Web site: www.virginamerica.com) has unveiled a new menu on its flights, which includes new food options and cocktails.

Passengers can now buy shaken cocktails including Cosmopolitans, Mojitos and Margaritas for $8 in the Main Cabin, but these are complimentary in Main Cabin Select and First Class.

Meanwhile, food options served throughout the day for $7-$9 include fruit and cheese, duo tea sandwiches, and hummus, vegetables and pita bread. These are complimentary in Main Cabin Select.

Virgin America Wins Best Domestic Airline Award

California-based Virgin America (Web site: www.virginamerica.com) has been named the Best Domestic Airline in Conde Nast Traveler's Readers Choice Award.

David Cush, the carrier's President and Chief Executive Officer, welcomed the title, saying: "Virgin America was launched just last year with the goal of creating a different kind of airline - one built around providing an upscale, innovative, attractively priced experience for guests.

Virgin America Adds Flights from New York to Vegas

Virgin America (Web site: www.virginamerica.com) has announced that it is to start an additional service from New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS).

Starting December 11, the new flight will be additional to Virgin America's existing nonstop service on this route.