Airline deals

[bczoom]

First, a little back story. About a year ago, Mrs. Zoom and I bought a condo down in FL. We were driving there but not making frequent trips as it's kind of a tough drive (over 1000 miles each way).

A few months ago, Allegiant Air started a direct service from our home city to the airport about 5 miles from our condo. The best part is how cheap the flights are. Yesterday while sitting outside chatting (and I having an adult beverage), Mrs. Zoom pulled out her iPad and started booking some flights for us. On one flight (about 6 months out), she actually got a 1-way seat for... $5. When all said and done, she purchased 12 round trip tickets for a total of $840. That's an average of $70 per round-trip seat. A very large portion of that $70 round-trip is actually taxes so the airline is practically giving the seats away.

Mrs. Zoom also did one better. She got the airline credit card so she gets lots of points (which add up to free flights) and gets other perks (free drink, priority boarding...).

One downside of the airline (which doesn't bother us as we don't use it) is they charge for baggage but I guess most airlines do now.

 

[Doc]

Congrats. That is awesome.
I do not understand how any airline can fly folks that cheap.
Are the flights jam packed?
We flew Southwest last March and they held the flight 15 mins for one last passenger that filled the 737 jet. We were jam packed.

 

[bczoom]

Yea, I'm pretty sure the plane is full every time. Being as the airport in FL is only an hour from Orlando, I was guessing many of the passengers are headed there. Not sure though as it mainly seems to be adults.

I don't understand how they can fly that cheap either. Below is the fee list for a 1-way seat (minus the $1 listed for picking your seat up-front).
The fees add up to over $35 but Mrs. Zoom is averaging a 1-way flight for that same $35?!?!?

USA Federal Excise Tax - Air​ $6.73 USD​ USA Segment Tax​ $4.50 USD​ USA Passenger Facility Charge​ $4.50 USD​ USA Security Fee​ $5.60 USD​ Seat Selection Fee​ $1.00 USD​ Carrier Usage Charge​ $18.00 USD​

 

[chowderman]

same as a supermarket 'loss leader'
they only offer a few seats at that price.
same with (past....) car tv ads - super low price on 'all decked out models' - but only one per dealer . . .
backstory: DW drove past a Buick dealer, they were unloading cars from the transporter, she saw the color and had to have it.
stopped in, put a deposit on the car. it was one of those 'everything for a few cents, one per dealer' cars.....