Spring break airfares decreasing

By Kelly Yamanouchi

As airlines cope with a decline in demand for travel, spring break fares are down about 9 percent overall compared with last year, according to an air fare forecasting Web site.

Farecast’s spring break forecast shows that fares for travel Feb. 28 to April 4 from Atlanta to U.S., Mexico and Caribbean destinations averaged $249 this year, down from $273 a year earlier.

Nationally, spring break fares are down more than 15 percent year-over-year for the spring break period, according to Live Search Farecast, whose Web site makes predictions about air fares. The average spring break fare nationally is $308, down from $368 a year ago.

Delta held a fare sale earlier this year that extended through April that would be reflected in the fares, though the booking period for that sale has ended. Delta currently has a sale on flights to a number of cities in Mexico for travel by March 31. “There have been a number of sales in the marketplace in the winter and into the spring across the country,” said Delta spokesman Kent Landers.

The lower fares come as the number of U.S. airline passengers is projected to fall 6.6 percent in 2009 compared with 2008, according to a forecast by Boyd Group International, an Evergreen, Colo.-based aviation consulting firm.

The fluctuation in fares from Atlanta varies significantly, however. Spring break fares from Atlanta to West Palm Beach are down 21 percent and fares from Atlanta to Cancun are down 20 percent compared with last year. But fares from Atlanta to Nassau in the Bahamas are up 3 percent.

Travelers with flexible travel plans can save more by flying on less-popular days, avoiding peak weeks and choosing less expensive locations in Florida, or cities like Las Vegas, San Juan, Puerto Rico or Cancun, according to Farecast.

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/travel/southeast/fl_stories/2009/02/10/spring_break_airfares.html