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Airfare Deals and News for the Week of June 3, 2011

Airfare sales from Frontier Airlines, American Eagle, American, and Iceland Express, plus find out why an airline price can jump just as you're trying to book the ticket.

Mazatlan Sale from American Airlines

Save on flights to Mazatlan, Mexico, with the current sale from American Airlines (www.aa.com). Fares are valid for outbound travel from June 9 through Sept. 7. Tickets must be purchased by 11:59pm CT, June 15.

All travel must be completed by Sept. 9. A two-night minimum stay is required. Other airlines may be matching.

Round-trip fares include:

Kansas City Sale from Frontier

Save on travel to/from Kansas City with the current sale from Frontier Airlines (www.frontierairlines.com). Tickets require a 10-day advance purchase. No minimum stay required.

Seats are limited at these fares and certain flights and/or days of travel may be unavailable, especially during busy travel periods. For most routes, you'll have an easier time snagging lower fares for travel from late summer and onward.

Round-trip fares include:

Last Call! Summer Sale from Iceland Express

From Iceland Express, save on Boston departures to select cities in Europe, with fares going for $499 round-trip, including all taxes. Travel through Aug. 31. Don't live in Boston? Who cares?! With summer fares to Europe as high as they are, you may find it cheaper to DIY an itinerary, flying from your home airport to Boston and onward to Europe via Iceland Express.

Again, tomorrow is the very last day of this sale, so move fast!

Round-trip fares include:

New Service to Wilmington NC from American Eagle

Just in time for summer, American Eagle will add service between Chicago and Wilmington, North Carolina. Flights begin July 2, with special introductory fares for travel through Aug. 31, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Seats are limited and may not be available on all dates/on all flights. Intro offer expires July 9.

Tickets must be purchased at least 14 days prior to departure, or within 1 day of making reservations, whichever comes first.

Round-trip fares include:

From the Mailbag: The Wacky World of Fluctuating Fares

Q: I had a terrible situation last week -- My husband needed to go to Dayton for business. (We're in California.) We had fewer than seven days in advance to book and I was trying to book on a Wednesday. All flights on Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, and even on carrier's direct websites (Delta, Southwest) were giving me airfares of over $600 round-trip! I was at a loss. I did find one that he would have taken (I think it was around $564 round-trip including tax, but it went to $800 as I was booking it). I showed him the results on the Web so he saw the fares and options. So the next morning, my husband asked an assistant at his Dayton office to look into it. As it turned out, she got the same flights I looked at but for just $387 round-trip!

This is not the first time that I have had fares go up as I'm researching. Of course, I know that fares fluctuate constantly, but this seems to happen to me all the time. Is it possible that our computers somehow get "cookies" or some linkage that tracks our booking research and jack up the prices. The gal in Dayton also said that she had heard that somehow, fares are higher for people booking in California versus the Midwest. What can I do as I'm losing faith in the travel websites and I'm losing credibility in the eyes of those that I book travel for. Does this happen to anyone else?

A: Read on.

Additional Reporting by Tracy W. Stewart

George Hobica is a syndicated travel journalist and blogger whose website, www.airfarewatchdog.com, tracks unadvertised airfare wars and fare sales, including the most helpful and always updated Top 50 Airfares.

Talk with fellow Frommer's travelers on our Air Travel Forum today.


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