This section describes several recent categories of fare sales.

When one airline announces a sale or promotion, many other airlines will match
it. But they may not match it in all markets. Some circumstances in
which the other airlines might not match the fare sale in a given
market include:

   + When the original airline's sale is for a flight that involves a
     connection and the other airlines provide non-stop service.

   + When the market isn't a competitive market. For example, when the
     airline holds a virtual monopoly on a particular airport (e.g.,
     USAir in Pittsburgh). They may match the fare for flights through
     the hub, but not for flights originating at the hub.

   + When the airline's bookings are already strong for the period 
     covered by the sale, and they don't feel the need to compete.

Not all the airlines that match a sale will necessarily impose the
same restrictions. So it may pay to shop around.

Fare sales are most likely during the early fall (mid-September
through mid-November), when airlines begin to worry about their
fourth-quarter financial performance. Other good times are late summer
and early spring. There are currently about 8 major fare sales a year,
and you can expect that airlines will start acting like department
stores with sales every month or two. When an airline gets
the jump on its competitors with the announcement of a fare sale --
even if by just half a day -- it gets a significant edge in terms of
the number of reservations.

The greatest discounts are usually on the most expensive routes.
Markets where prices are already low due to competition tend to have
lower discounts.

Fare Wars:

   Except for the original airfare war during the summer of 1993,
   media use of the term 'Fare War' for fare sales is a misnomer. To
   some extent airlines try to stir up consumer excitement by using the
   term. 

   The most common kind of fare sale has the following characteristics:
      +  midweek flights (departure on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday)
         or other offpeak times (e.g., Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving)
      +  UP TO 50% off round-trip tickets (most discounts
         substantially less, around 10% to 15%)
      +  Saturday night stay, 14-day advance purchase
      +  limited purchasing window (1-2 weeks); travel completed
         during a large travel window (2 months)
      +  restricted to competitive routes
      +  limited number of seats available
      +  nonrefundable

   Some popular times for air fare sales:
      +  Just after Labor Day, for travel between late September and
         mid December, with blackout dates around the holidays.
      +  From mid-July to late July for early fall travel. 
         (e.g., Continental July 17, 1994)
      +  Early August for fall travel. (e.g., America West on 3-AUG-94
         and Continental on 19-AUG-94)
      +  Winter, from early December through mid-February, with blackout days
         around Christmas and New Years. (e.g., Continental on 25-NOV-94)

One-way Sales:

   These sales offer one-way fares for up to 50% off of the usual
   fare. Since round-trip fares are already 50% off the price of the
   equivalent pair of one-way tickets, such sales do not affect the
   consumer much (but do generate consumer sales anyway due to the
   excitement of a "Fare War!!!").

   Southwest routinely offers $25 fares (per non-stop flight segment) on
   flights that leave after 7pm local time on Monday nights, September 12
   through December 26, 1994. The restrictions eliminate many of the
   airline's flights, but it is still a good deal if your schedule and
   destination happens to meet the restrictions. The promotion is part of
   Southwest's sponsorship of ABC's Monday night football.

Two-For-One Sales:

   Two-for-one sales, also known as companion fares ("Friend Flies
   Free" or "Add a Pal for a Penny"), offer passengers
   traveling together two tickets for the price of one. However, the
   seats are usually limited, and may not apply to the cheapest coach
   class tickets. So for folks who were traveling in pairs anyway, the
   discounts come closer to 25% off than the "up to 50% off"
   advertised by the airlines, when you take everything into account.
   (Sure, you're saving 50% off the price of the ticket, but if you were
   buying a single ticket, you'd get a cheaper ticket.) Both passengers
   must travel together on all legs of the itinerary. There must also
   be two passengers -- you can't claim a free ticket for a fictitious
   friend just to have an empty seat next to you.
   
Nadir Days Fare Sales:

   There are several days of the year when air travel hits rock bottom,
   like December 25, January 1, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the 4th of July.
   Airlines can't simply reduce their operations on these days, because
   of scheduling difficulties. A flight from San Jose to Boston must
   still fly on schedule, even if there are no passengers on board,
   because that plane must be in Boston the next day when the normal load
   resumes.

   An empty seat doesn't earn the airline any money. So several airlines
   have started special one-day fare sales on peak-minimum days. For
   example, a round trip ticket from Pittsburgh to Boston on the Sunday
   before the 4th of July cost only $100. The catch was that you had to fly
   out after noon on Saturday and return by midnight Sunday.

Whiteout Fare Sales:

   In an unusual twist, Delta cut fares about 30-40% on some of the least
   popular travel days around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.
   Travel (both departure and return flights) must occur on November 17,
   21, 24, or 25; December 15, 19, 20, 28; or January 4, 5 or 6. The
   tickets are non-refundable and apply only to the 48 contiguous states. 
   Although Delta initially included the usual 14-day advance purchase and a
   November 10, 1994 deadline to buy tickets, USAir and Continental have waived
   those restrictions. (Note that the more popular travel days, such as
   the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, have been excluded.) For
   example, a round trip ticket from Pittsburgh to Boston flying on 11/21
   and 11/25 costs $137, compare to the usual $200-$250.