Archive for October 6th, 2009

Alaska Airlines is offering their annual PFD air fare sale through Nov. 2 ONLY. Below, I took this photo from Alaska Airlines flight #75 between Seattle and Juneau.

Here’s what we know:

Zone fares. For the most part, Alaska Air’s fares are zone-based. That means that all the towns (aside from Seattle) in Washington, Oregon and Idaho get the same rate. That’s great news if you’re going to some of the smaller towns in Oregon (Pendelton, North Bend) or Idaho (Idaho Falls, Lewiston).

Alaska’s rural communities. If you are going to or from Alaska’s smaller towns served by Alaska’s jets (Kodiak, Cordova, Kotzebue, King Salmon), this sale may represent the best prices of the year. Check ‘em out.

Blackout dates. Travel on Fridays or Sundays is not available at the lowest rates (except to Hawaii and Mexico). It costs, on average, about $20 more each way.

From Alaska, no travel is permitted Nov. 20-21, 25, 28-30, Dec. 16-23, 2009 or Mar. 4-9, 2010. To Alaska, no travel is permitted Nov. 20-21, 25, 28-30, 2009 or Jan. 1-7, or Mar. 11-16, 2010.

Dollars and Cents. Here are some of the best deals:

Anchorage to:

1. Seattle $199 ea. way or 418 roundtrip, all-in.

2. Honolulu (nonstop) 209 ea. way or 438 rt all-in.

3. Portland 229 ea. way or 478 roundtrip, all-in. (includes all destinations in Oregon, Washington and Idaho including Klamath Falls, Lewiston, Walla Walla…plus Arcata, CA and Redding, CA)

4. Chicago (nonstop) 239 ea. way or 498 roundtrip, all-in

5. San Francisco 249 ea. way or 539 rt all-in (includes Reno, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Fresno)

6. Billings, MT 249 ea. way or 539 rt all-in (includes Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell)

All other destinations (Newark, Orlando, Houston, Minneapolis, Atlanta, etc.). Check the website.

From Fairbanks to:

1. Seattle $249 ea way or $539 rt all-in

2. Honolulu (via Anchorage-Honolulu nonstop) 259 ea way or 557rt all-in

3. Portland 279 ea way or $600 rt all-in (includes all destinations in Oregon, Washington and Idaho…plus Arcata, CA and Redding, CA)

4. San Francisco 298 ea way or 638rt all-in (includes Oakland, San Jose, Reno, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Fresno)

5. Billings 299 ea way or 638rt all-in (includes Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell)

From Juneau/Sitka/Petersburg/Wrangell to:

1. Seattle $179 ea way or 397rt all-in.

2. Portland and all other cities in WA, OR, ID (plus Arcata, CA and Redding, CA): 460rt all-in

3. Bay Area (SFO, SJC, OAK, SMF, RNO, STS, FAT): 498rt all-in

4. Montana (BIL, BZN, FCA, GTF, MSO, HLN): 498rt all-in

5. Southern California (LAX-area airports, SAN, Palm Springs): 539rt all-in

Check the website for departures from Bethel, Kodiak, Cordova, Nome, Kotzebue, Barrow, etc.

Purchase tickets by Nov. 2, 2009. Complete travel by Aug. 25, 2010. This is a developing story. Please stay tuned for updates.

Follow Alaska Airlines on Twitter. They regularly post specials, the schedules for their “Nerd Bird” with wireless access–and more.

Whoa! Sign up now for a great Murder Mystery Weekend, Nov. 13-15.

Check out Endofthespit.com for special lodging packages–and activities around the Kenai Peninsula!

Keith and Margo’s Murder Mystery Weekend special plots starting Friday evening  at the Friday reception. Meet the scheming, manipulative, deceitful and murderous people that you will be spending the next day and a half with!

The mystery begins on Friday evening and develops at lunch on Saturday. Dreadful events occur, and you may stumble over a dead body or two. By dinner on Saturday night, you should have all the information you need to solve the murder but just when you think you’ve got it sussed, watch out for the final twist!

Sunday breakfast at Land’s End Resort is when it all comes to an end! You’ll be asked to write down our best hunch about who did what to whom, and why.

Check out the kewl video we did last weekend!

The folks at USTravel in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kodiak, Juneau, Dutch Harbor, Prudhoe Bay and Ketchikan can help with all your PFD travel plans!

Hawaii Vacations, cruises, air fare deals, package tours–they have their finger on the pulse. Watch for new deals in the next few days as PFD specials bubble to the surface!

Kelly Jo over at USTravel has some great deals with Holland America on Panama Canal Sailings. There are 10-day itineraries for as little as $649 per person, double (wow!). But if you’re interested in the canal, go ahead and explore the 14-day itinerary from Ft. Lauderdale to San Diego.

Right now there is a GREAT deal on the Oct. 16, 2009 sailing: as low as $699 per person, double. Ports include Cartegena, Columbia (BEAUTIFUL city), Huatulco, Mexico, Puerto Vallarta and San Diego.

Have you heard about Belize? South of Cancun, this country is an eco-traveler’s paradise. Kelly Jo found a great eight-day/seven night kayaking adventure that sounds great. The price? Just $1,199 per person, double. It’s a chance to do some island-hopping off the coast. More than 300 islands are located just off the mainland in Belize. Kayaking is a great way to explore! Ask Kelly Jo for more information.

Are you just looking for a cheap cruise? Heck, Kelly Jo has some great deals with Carnival. Three-day itineraries from Southern California to Mexico start at just $159 per person, double. Can’t beat it!!

Start planning your next vacation today. Let Kelly Jo and the professionals at USTravel help. Call them ow at (800)544-2217 or locally in Anchorage (907)561-2434.

We love the Golden Heart City. We’re here for the annual convention for the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA). Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell will show up later to address the group. And Fairbanks has rolled out the red carpet to welcome us. Below is a shot I took earlier this summer on the banks of the Chena River (The Riverboat Discovery is closed for the season–but it’s also worth a trip!).

Museum of the North. If you have not seen this incredible museum on the campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, it’s worth a special trip. The permanent exhibit features classic Alaskan art from the last 100 years: Sydney Lawrence, Fred Machetanz, etc. Plus, there is an incredible display of indigenous native Alaskan art. One of my favorite features is “The Place Where We Go to Listen.” It’s hard to describe: earthquakes have a sound. So do the northern lights. The sun has a sound. And every natural feature also has a ray of light. This continuous display, in an enclosed space, evokes a meditative space. In fact, folks just stop in to sit and take it all in. You should, too.

Fountainhead Antique Car Museum. Whoa. Check the video. We love this museum and it’s a must-see on any trip to Fairbanks. Don’t miss it.

Morris Thompson Cultural Center. I’ve seen this as it was built from the ground up. But this will be the first walk-through for me–and Fairbanks folks are really proud of this.

Chena Hot Springs. A favorite. Don’t miss it.

Follow us on Twitter for live updates. twitter.com/alaskatravelgrm