Is there an Alaska vs. Delta fare war going on in the Pacific Northwest?
Aug 25, 2019, 4:37 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,724
Is there an Alaska vs. Delta fare war going on in the Pacific Northwest?
Looking up PDX-SEA flights on the AS site and noticed the saver fares were only $40 one-way this Fall....not sure who is matching who, but DL is the same price. Upon closer review, it appears that all of the Pacific Northwest routes where AS and DL compete are for sale for $49 (SEA-RDM, SEA-PSC, SEA-EUG, SEA-MFR, etc.).....the AS website shows PDX-SEA on "sale" for $59 but of course prices out lower. This might be a good time to purchase if you frequent these short-haul routes which are typically more expensive. As a side note, I noticed SEA-RDM is on the E175--for those that have flown that flight, is this typically a slam dunk upgrade (worth paying an extra $15 or so for main cabin)?
Aug 25, 2019, 4:42 pm
#3
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
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Aug 25, 2019, 6:46 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 2,400
SEA-LAS and SEA-SNA are pretty reasonable at $59 and $69 also. They have been that way for a while. When I see rates like this it makes me wish I were retired. Maybe I will take a short trip to PDX on my days off if I can find a reasonably priced hotel.
Aug 25, 2019, 7:39 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
PHX-SEA is $59 Saver, $79 Main, $289 First in late October. There is even U space if you are 75K and want to pay $337 for an immediate upgrade out of Main and forego the 75% COS and lounge access. 
lol Here is an example for October 24th.
James
lol Here is an example for October 24th.James
Aug 25, 2019, 9:38 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Seattle
Programs: Alaska MVP
Posts: 1,171
My husband got F for $189 each way on AS for SEA-PHX for the first week in September a couple of months back. Haven't checked rates recently, though.
Aug 26, 2019, 11:51 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Seattle
Programs: DL DM; Hyatt Globalist; etc
Posts: 540
I'm coming from the DL side of this, but I've definitely noticed DL and AS matching their lowest fares (usually BE on the DL side) with AS on short-haul routes out of SEA. I'm less familiar with how AS structures their fares, but it definitely means for some cheap tickets for things like SEA-GEG/RDM/MFR at times.
Frequently, though, I've found that DL doesn't match the frequency AS provides on a lot of these routes - it's impossible to return from RDM or MFR on a late Sunday night without flying AS for example, and that AS flight is priced significantly higher in both points and dollars.
It's unclear to me whether it's sustainable to have so many daily departures to tertiary airports like this, but while it lasts I'll happily buy $49 OW tickets to Bend
Frequently, though, I've found that DL doesn't match the frequency AS provides on a lot of these routes - it's impossible to return from RDM or MFR on a late Sunday night without flying AS for example, and that AS flight is priced significantly higher in both points and dollars.
It's unclear to me whether it's sustainable to have so many daily departures to tertiary airports like this, but while it lasts I'll happily buy $49 OW tickets to Bend
Aug 26, 2019, 3:54 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
And, yes, there is a fare war going on in the PNW. In SEA and PDX, Spirit and Frontier also factor in.