Airlines Slash Fares To Lure Summer Travelers

American Airlines and United Air Lines, the nation’s largest carriers, jumped ahead of the competition Friday by offering discounts of up to 50 percent on all domestic flights booked by April 10.

The promotion by the airlines came a day after Northwest announced a summer fare sale in some U.S. markets.

USAir, Trans World Airline, Delta, America West and Continental said Friday they would match Northwest’s fares in competitive markets.

“The airlines are trying to get their planes filled up and sales are the way to do that,” said Edmund Greenslet, an aviation analyst with EG Aviation Services in Jacksonville, Fla.

Northwest was first to announce the discounted fares. Passengers are required to fly Tuesday, Wednesday or on Saturday afternoons between May 1 and Sept. 14 to get the full 50 percent discount in cities where the discounts apply. Tickets must be booked by April 7.

Northwest also said it is substantially discounting fares in many markets to Canada and certain destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean.

Tickets must be bought 30 days in advance and require a Saturday night stay.

In response to Northwest’s action, American extended its discounts to “all domestic markets, not just the ones where we compete with Northwest,” said American spokeswoman Theresa Hanson. The carrier also gave customers an extra three days to buy the discounted tickets.

United matched American’s promotion.

“These airlines - American and United - took this chance to get passengers across the country onto their planes,” said Herbert Teison, editor of Travel Smart, a trade publication. “Others may feel the pressure and eventually match this deal.”

Teison said the airlines announced the discounts early in the season in an attempt to gauge the volume of passengers they should expect this summer.

“They want to see if people are flying this summer,” he said. “If people don’t jump at this promotion, don’t worry because there will probably be another one.”