Travelers who value cheap traveloptions, such as cheapairplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages willbe delighted to learn that Alaska Airlines has announced plans to expand alongthe West Coast.
The most recent expansion is in San Diego, where thecarrier recently declared that it is adding six new non-stop destinations.
The new routes to Albuquerque; Austin; Kansas City, Mo.;Minneapolis/St. Paul; Omaha; and St. Louis, will give Alaska Airlines 40 dailydepartures to 28 destinations from San Diego.
This new service builds on Alaska Airlines expansion in SanDiego, where the airline recently added new routes to Baltimore, and threecities in California: Sacramento, San Jose, and Santa Rosa, among others.
Alaska Airlines has increased in presence more than anyother airline in San Diego over the last five years, by adding 18 nonstopdestinations and almost twice as many departing seats.
All of the new routes will be served by 76 seat EmbraerE175 jets operated by Alaska Airlines regional affiliates.
News of the San Diego expansion came just a week afterAlaska Airlines announced 13 new routes from the two major San Francisco BayArea airports in what the company is calling the single largest new marketannouncement in its history.
These moves further increase the airlines presence inCalifornia, where it had already become a major player after its acquisition ofSan Francisco based Virgin America.
Once this purchase closed in December of last year, AlaskaAir became one of the largest airlines both in California and along the WestCoast. Alaska Air already had hubs inSeattle, and Portland, Ore., as well as a significant presence at several otherCalifornia airports, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Jose.
Its Virgin America purchase gives Alaska Airlines access tothat airlines hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Alaska Airlines has also been adding to itspresence across California, by growing existing bases in Los Angeles and SanDiego while increasing its schedules in smaller airport including Burbank andOrange County.
Current plans call for Alaska Airlines and Virgin Americato continue to operate under their own brands. While Alaska Airlines has previously said that it is considering whetherto continue that set up or whether to fold both airlines into a single brand,it is not known when that decision might be made.
The following are the launch dates for Alaska Airlines newroutes out of San Diego:
Albuquerque:One daily round-trip flight as begins Oct. 18.
Austin: Onedaily round-trip flight begins Aug. 27.
Kansas City:One daily round-trip flight begins Dec. 15.
Minneapolis/St.Paul: One daily round-trip flight begins Nov. 18.
Omaha: Onedaily round-trip flight begins Aug. 27.
St. Louis: Onedaily round-trip flight begins Dec. 15.
www.cheapfares.com