I have to concur 100% with the other posters. I think the fares for web specials are too high to promote much "spur-of-the-moment" travel (they are for me at least). Furthermore, they are not offered on enough non-stop routes. I check the web specials for my home airports (SJC, SAN) frequently, and they are usually oddball routings to places I don't want to go.

If Alaska planes were consistently full (e.g. JetBlue), I could understand the lack of last-minute deals. But, Alaska's load factor (averaging just under 70%) frequently trails that of other major and low fare carriers. I think Alaska should focus less on trying to increase the average fare paid and focus more on maximizing the number of seats sold. The costs involved with each flight are largely fixed regardless of the number of fare-paying passengers. Especially in major leisure markets, I think Alaska should make more of an effort to sell surplus inventory at deep discounts. Of course, they would need to maintain just enough variety in the last-minute specials such that people aren't discouraged from advanced bookings. Also I think "last-minute" specials should be offered up to a week in advance, instead of just a few days.