For those looking to lock in some flights before things get busy and expensive during the holidays, now is a great time to commit to travel dates.
Following each other, a number of airlines have been holding two- and three-day fall promotions in which they slash prices to extremely low rates for those willing to act fast and book travel for November onwards.
Related: How the CEO of a Low-Cost Airline Tries to Keep Prices Low
As part of its three-day "Fall Real Sale," New York-based JetBlue Airways (JBLU) -) is selling routes across the country and to international tropical destinations for around or under $100. A one-way ticket between Albany in New York and Florida's Orlando can be bought for $54 while New York City to Aruba is selling for $124.
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Here's how you can lock in that $124 flight to Aruba (terms and conditions apply)
The key caveat is that tickets must be booked by midnight eastern time of Oct. 12 (yes, tonight) for travel on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between Oct. 17, 2023 and Feb. 13, 2024. One will also not be able to use the sale for travel on the days leading up to Thanksgiving on Nov. 21 and 22 as well as anytime during the popular holiday period from Dec. 19 to Jan. 9, 2024.
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"With the Fall Real Sale, we hope customers delight in these great deals on travel to help them plan and save before the end of year," Jayne O’Brien, who heads marketing and loyalty for the airline, said in a statement on the promotion.
As JetBlue is based in New York, many of the best deals are for those traveling from or to the East Coast. Other good deals include $59 routes between New York and Atlanta, a $79 flight from Boston to Austin, Texas, a $69 flight between Boston and San Francisco and $89 routes to Puerto Rico from several East Coast cities.
Multiple airlines are holding sales for those who book fast and early
Sunny international destinations that are part of the sale include a $139 flight between Boston and Santiago, Chile, as well as an $89 ticket between Miami and Bogotá, Colombia.
During the same three days (the promotion started on Oct. 10) as the JetBlue sale, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (LUV) -) launched its own slasher promotion for travel between Oct. 31, 2023, and March 6, 2024, within the continental U.S. and up until May 22 for Hawaii, Puerto Rico and certain international destinations.
The sale is somewhat more expansive in that the fewer days leading up to Thanksgiving are blacked out and one is not limited to traveling on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but one will not be able to find many flights that go for lower than $100. Some of the exceptions include a $49 flight from Los Angeles to Houston or a $99 flight from New York's LaGuardia Airport to Phoenix.
But when it comes to both sales, the key is to act fast and commit early. In that, the JetBlue sale is better for the indecisive as one can buy flights as soon as Oct. 17 while Southwest customers need to commit to travel three weeks ahead.
