| Whether you have a limited budget or simply | | | | converts, this cheap but hip airline |
| want to get the best deal on a flight, | | | | continues to grow. As of March 2006, JetBlue |
| traveling on cheap airlines can save you a | | | | flies to 35 cities, including Las Vegas, West |
| bundle on airfares that you can apply to the | | | | Palm Beach, Nassau in the Bahamas, and San |
| rest of your vacation. Over the past few | | | | Juan, Puerto Rico. |
| years, cheap airlines selling cheap tickets | | | | |
| for cheap flights have proliferated -- and | | | | Southwest. Deep discounts on advance |
| that's to your benefit. | | | | purchases are typical, which is helpful to |
| | | | those planning a long-distance wedding that |
| More often than not, there's negligible | | | | requires many guests to come from other parts |
| difference between a coach seat on a cheap | | | | of the country. When the airline has one of |
| airline and one on the Big Six (American, | | | | its frequent fare sales, the normally cheap |
| United, Delta, Northwest, Continental, and US | | | | prices drop even more. Southwest flies to 63 |
| Airways) airlines. In some cases, flying a | | | | cities in 31 states. New Southwest planes |
| cheap airline -- at least one with leather | | | | offer leather seats. However, seat numbers |
| seats, free personal satellite TV, and other | | | | are not assigned by the airline. At check-in |
| perks -- is superior to what huge airline | | | | you get an un-numbered boarding pass and are |
| corporations offer. When searching for dirt | | | | welcome to take any free seat. |
| cheap airfares, check the Web sites of | | | | |
| low-priced airlines. Some, like Southwest, | | | | Spirit Air. Spirit Air flies to 29 |
| only sell tickets on their own site. Others | | | | destinations. What's different about Spirit |
| offer the best deals to their own customers. | | | | Air is that it has two in-cabin classes -- |
| And if you buy directly from a cheap airline | | | | and it's very cheap to upgrade to Spirit |
| site, you'll avoid paying the small extra | | | | Plus, which offers leather seats that are |
| transaction fee sites such as Orbitz charge. | | | | somewhat roomier than coach, with more leg |
| | | | room, free drinks, and an odd, salty snack |
| Top Cheap Airlines to US Cities | | | | (who voted on feeding passengers beef jerky |
| | | | and cheese sauce?). Still, even cheap skates |
| JetBlue. When JetBlue took to the skies in | | | | and couples on a tight budget like to enjoy |
| 2000, no one expected the airline, with its | | | | the luxury of traveling in first class once |
| cheap fares between New York and Florida, to | | | | in a while. Spirit's inexpensive upgrades |
| make much of an impact. After flyers | | | | ($30-50) are sold online and at the gate when |
| experienced JetBlue's easy online | | | | available. |
| ticket-buying technology, Airbus A320s, | | | | |
| egalitarian single-class system, leather | | | | Delta's Song and United's Ted are designed as |
| seats, free satellite TV in every seatback, | | | | cheap but fun spin-offs of their parent |
| pleasant flight attendants, and cheap ticket | | | | airlines. |
| prices, they started switching allegiance | | | | |
| over to the airline. JetBlue has piled up | | | | AirTran Airways. It flies to 54 destinations |
| awards, including Best US Airline, Best | | | | and has Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta |
| Domestic Airline, Best Budget Airline, and | | | | International Airport as its hub. Its new |
| Best Value for Cost from a slew of | | | | Boeing 737-700s feature XM Satellite Radio |
| trustworthy sources. With more and more | | | | with more than 100 digital channels. |