Northwest Kicks Off Holiday Fare Battle

Northwest Airlines cut its fares up to 50 percent Thursday for travel between Nov. 3 and Jan. 20 to many destinations in North America.

Tickets must be purchased by midnight Oct. 17, are non-refundable and require a Saturday night stay in most cases. Sale fares are not available for travel on Nov. 22, Nov. 26, Dec. 22, Dec. 23 and Jan. 2.

Under the sale fares, which represent savings of up to 50 percent off regular excursion fares but are not necessarily the least expensive fares, passengers can fly round-trip between Los Angeles and Providence for $378; between Newark and New Orleans for $248; and between New York and San Antonio for $308.

Other airlines have traditionally matched sale prices on competing routes.