Two smaller US carriers that launched last year, Breeze and Avelo, are refining their operations.
Avelo, which launched point-to-point flights on the west coast from Burbank, California, recently added a new east coast base in New Haven, Conn., serving several destinations in Florida and as far west as Chicago. In April, the flight calendar showed one-way trips between New Haven and Tampa, Florida, starting at $69, with seats starting at $6, carry-on baggage starting at $40 and checked baggage starting at $35.
Breeze recently added 10 new cities, bringing several in Florida and southeastern Hartford, Conn. Syracuse to Las Vegas in June recently started at $159 with additional fees for seats and carry-on.
Another newcomer, Aha!, of ExpressJet Airlines, plans to make Reno, Nev., its hub, serving about 10 cities, including Palm Springs, California, and Spokane, Wash. It plans to add hotel accommodations to create vacation packages.
A recent search for a round-trip fare from Eugene, Oregon, to Reno started at $109, with a $10 minimum for a seat each way and baggage fees starting at $30.
Subscription flights
Low-cost airlines have been playing with prices for a long time. Now a more traditional airline, Alaska Airlines, has introduced its own new approach with a subscription service called Flight Pass.
The pass is aimed at travelers in California and starts at $49 per month and gives annual subscribers access to six round trips per year that can be booked two weeks or more before departure. This brings the average cost of a round-trip flight to about $100, which the company says is 20 to 30 percent lower than the annualized average fares. For travelers who want more flexibility, Flight Pass Pro subscribers can book anytime from $199 per month, or about $400 per round trip.
