Best domestic flights under $200 (no Spirit/Frontier/Allegiant)

Here are the best domestic fares under $200 currently available. Due to popular demand, I have removed all Frontier, Spirit, and Allegiant deals - leaving only the airlines that do not charge for carry-on bags.

Please note that the airlines are making my job much more difficult, by sometimes only releasing a few dates at these awesome fares. It is hard for me to cull out these one-offs en masse. But, if you have a flexible travel schedule, you can score some incredible deals!

Flight booking:
Click here to book with Hotwire (no promo code needed)

Atlanta:

• Los Angeles $138 rt
• Dallas $81 rt
• Phoenix $167 rt
• Chicago $87 rt
• Philadelphia $97 rt
• Miami $97 rt

Austin:

• Chicago: $149 rt
• New York $166 rt

Baltimore:

• Dallas $97 rt
• Miami $97 rt
• Las Vegas $198 rt
• Ft. Lauderdale, FL $137 rt
• Chicago $97 rt

Boston:

• Dallas $89 rt
• Chicago $81 rt
• Miami $131 rt
• Houston $176 rt
• Houston $176 rt
• Ft. Lauderdale, FL $163 rt

Chicago:

• Los Angeles $119 rt
• Boston $81 rt
• Orlando $89 rt
• Denver $82 rt
• Miami $107 rt
• Ft. Lauderdale, FL $107 rt
• Dallas $81 rt
• Tampa $106 rt
• New York $81 rt
• Philadelphia $81 rt
• San Francisco $197 rt
• Ft. Myers, FL $143 rt
• Atlanta $87 rt
• Las Vegas $197 rt
• Baltimore $97 rt

Dallas:

• New York $80 rt
• Boston $89 rt
• Los Angeles $81 rt
• San Diego, CA $81 rt
• Baltimore $97 rt
• Philadelphia $103 rt
• Tampa $80 rt
• Portland, OR $137 rt
• Phoenix $81 rt
• Minneapolis, MN $81 rt
• Las Vegas $99 rt
• Miami $106 rt
• Chicago $81 rt
• Ft. Lauderdale, FL $107 rt
• Atlanta $81 rt
• Cleveland $107 rt
• Orlando $107 rt
• Detroit $113 rt
• Denver $81 rt
• White Plains, NY $178 rt
• Washington DC $156 rt
• Hudson Valley, NY $184 rt
• Wilkes-Barre, PA $181 rt

Denver:

• Chicago $82 rt
• New York $150 rt
• Los Angeles $89 rt
• Philadelphia $150 rt
• Dallas $81 rt
• Miami $197 rt
• Phoenix $87 rt
• Augusta, GA $191 rt

Detroit:

• Miami $117 rt
• Dallas $113 rt

Fort Lauderdale:

• Chicago $107 rt
• Dallas $107 rt
• Boston $163 rt
• Baltimore $137 rt

Houston:

• Philadelphia $134 rt
• Boston $176 rt
• Boston $176 rt
• Phoenix $117 rt
• Phoenix $118 rt
• Los Angeles $167 rt
• Santa Ana, CA $177 rt
• New York $193 rt

Las Vegas:

• Dallas $99 rt
• Baltimore $198 rt
• San Francisco $66 rt
• Chicago $197 rt

Los Angeles:

• Chicago $119 rt
• Dallas $81 rt
• Atlanta $138 rt
• Miami $196 rt
• Orlando $197 rt
• Denver $89 rt
• Houston $167 rt

Miami:

• Chicago $107 rt
• Los Angeles $196 rt
• Dallas $106 rt
• Baltimore $97 rt
• Detroit $117 rt
• Boston $131 rt
• Cleveland $117 rt
• Nashville, TN $99 rt
• Denver $197 rt
• Cincinnati $121 rt
• Providence, RI $181 rt
• Atlanta $97 rt

Minneapolis:

• Dallas $81 rt
• Phoenix $186 rt

Nashville:

• Miami $99 rt
• Atlantic City, NJ $99 rt

NYC:

• Dallas $80 rt
• Denver $150 rt
• Chicago $81 rt
• Austin $166 rt
• Houston $193 rt

Orlando:

• Chicago $89 rt
• Los Angeles $197 rt
• Philadelphia $87 rt
• Dallas $107 rt

Philadelphia:

• Dallas $103 rt
• Orlando $87 rt
• Denver $150 rt
• Houston $134 rt
• Tampa $97 rt
• Chicago $81 rt
• Atlanta $97 rt

Phoenix:

• Dallas $81 rt
• Atlanta $167 rt
• Houston $117 rt
• Houston $118 rt
• San Francisco $87 rt
• Denver $87 rt
• Edmonton, AB, Canada $195 rt
• Minneapolis, MN $186 rt

Portland, OR: Dallas $137 rt

San Diego: Dallas $81 rt

San Francisco:

• Chicago $197 rt
• Las Vegas $66 rt
• Phoenix $87 rt

Seattle:

• Anchorage, AK $177 rt
• Long Beach, CA $137 rt

Tampa:

• Dallas $80 rt
• Philadelphia $97 rt
• Chicago $106 rt

Washington DC:

• Dallas $156 rt
• Indianapolis, IN $77 rt

Hotel booking:
Wherever I go, I always start my hotel search with Booking... and it has not let me down! Great rates on great hotels, hostels, guest houses, etc!
Click here to start you hotel search on Booking

Adjusted Cost Per Direct Mile: options range from 1.89 to 6.9
<4 = INCREDIBLE deal. If you have an interest in ever visiting this destination, book now! Or, you may be interested in making a "mileage run" out of this

4 to 5 = EXCELLENT deal
5 to 6 = great deal
6 to 7 = good deal

Austin City Council votes to re-open the South Terminal

Good news Austin flyers! The Austin City Council just voted to re-open South Terminal for commercial air traffic!

Current state of the South Terminal

This will create room for low-cost airlines (such as Allegiant and Frontier) to move over from the main terminal and expand. Even if you are not interested in flying these low cost airlines, the competitive effect will lower airfares.

Take Chicago as an example: Back in 2013, one early JT's Flight Deals' follower asked me to alert him anytime the airfare between Austin and Chicago dropped below $300 roundtrip. As a broke college student, he was thrilled one time when it was once just $243 - out of Waco!

A moderately-priced weekend getaway with AA choosing to match Frontier's fares

Flash forward to now: both American and Frontier now have nonstops from Austin to Chicago and it is much cheaper! I have seen (and reserved) flights on this route as low as $81 roundtrip nonstop on American. It's a whole different game!

Lots of departures from Austin on a Wednesday afternoon

Competition is strong in Austin, with 14+ commercial airlines flying in/out of Austin - and more on the way with a direct from Austin to Frankfurt Germany beginning next summer. Passenger traffic almost hit 11 million in 2014! Travel + Leisure just named Austin #5 in best domestic airports

Austin's first time on the list!

It's a good time to be flying out of Austin, and it's only going to get better with more competition and more gates.

Check out this KXAN story discussing the possibility of opening the South Terminal: http://kxan.com/2015/06/18/low-cost-carriers-will-take-over-abias-south-terminal/

What do you think of the Austin City Council vote? Are you excited for more competition out of Austin? Would you be interested in flying out of the South Terminal?

95 excellent domestic deals under $150 rt

Soooo many great deals right now! Especially on the "legacy" carriers, where you do not have to worry about carry-on bag fees. And, with the right credit card, many will give you one free checked bag too!

One-option cities:

Boston: Chicago: $82 rt

Kansas City: Las Vegas: $117 rt

Minneapolis: Dallas: $80 rt

New Orleans: Chicago: $73 rt

Orlando: Chicago: $97 rt

San Diego: Chicago: $73 rt

West Palm Beach: Dallas: $121 rt

Multiple option cities:

Atlanta:

• Chicago: $73 rt
• Dallas: $81 rt
• Las Vegas: $147 rt
• Miami: $73 rt
• Philadelphia: $73 rt

Austin:

• Memphis: $78 rt*
• Las Vegas: $112 rt*

Baltimore:

• Las Vegas: $117 rt*
• Miami: $107 rt

Chicago:

• Atlanta: $73 rt
• Boston: $82 rt
• Dallas: $81 rt
• Denver: $80 rt
• Ft. Lauderdale: $107 rt
• Los Angeles: $80 rt
• Miami: $72 rt
• New Orleans: $73 rt
• New York: $80 rt
• Orlando: $97 rt
• Philadelphia: $81 rt
• Portland, OR: $73 rt
• San Diego: $73 rt
• San Francisco: $138 rt*
• Tampa: $107 rt

Cleveland:

• Dallas: $72 rt
• Miami: $106 rt

Dallas:

• Atlanta: $81 rt
• Chicago: $81 rt
• Cleveland: $72 rt
• Detroit, MI: $81 rt
• Las Vegas: $89 rt
• Los Angeles: $73 rt
• Miami: $72 rt
• Minneapolis: $80 rt
• New York: $73 rt
• Philadelphia: $81 rt
• Phoenix: $73 rt
• Portland, OR: $74 rt
• Tampa: $74 rt
• Washington DC: $107 rt
• West Palm Beach: $121 rt

Denver:

• Chicago: $80 rt
• Las Vegas: $67 rt
• Los Angeles: $72 rt
• Phoenix: $72 rt

Detroit:

• Miami: $117 rt
• Dallas: $81 rt

Fort Lauderdale:

• Las Vegas: $124 rt
• Chicago: $107 rt

Houston:

• Los Angeles: $73 rt
• Phoenix: $97 rt

Las Vegas:

• Atlanta: $147 rt
• Austin: $120 rt
• Baltimore: $117 rt*
• Dallas: $89 rt
• Denver: $67 rt
• Fort Lauderdale: $124 rt
• Kansas City: $117 rt
• Philadelphia: $73 rt
• San Francisco: $66 rt
• Washington, DC: $117 rt

Los Angeles:

• Chicago: $80 rt
• Dallas: $73 rt
• Denver: $72 rt
• Houston: $73 rt

Miami:

• Atlanta: $73 rt
• Baltimore: $107 rt
• Chicago: $72 rt
• Cleveland: $106 rt
• Dallas: $72 rt
• Detroit: $117 rt

New York City:

• Chicago: $80 rt
• Dallas: $73 rt

Philadelphia:

• Atlanta: $73 rt
• Chicago: $81 rt
• Dallas: $81 rt
• Las Vegas: $73 rt

Phoenix:

• Dallas: $73 rt
• Denver: $72 rt
• Houston: $97 rt

Portland:

• Chicago: $73 rt
• Dallas: $74 rt

San Francisco:

• Chicago: $138 rt*
• Las Vegas: $66 rt

Tampa:

• Chicago: $107 rt
• Dallas: $74 rt

Washington DC:

• Dallas: $107 rt
• Las Vegas: $117 rt

Flight booking:
Multiple airlines are battling over these destinations. So, check multiple links to ensure that you get the best fare.
Click here to book with Hotwire (no promo code needed)
Click here to book with Cheapoair - use promo code NY15 for the best fare
Click here to book with SmartFares - use promo code SFAIR15 for the best fare

Hotel booking:
Wherever I go, I always start my hotel search with Booking... and it has not let me down! Great rates on great hotels, hostels, guest houses, etc!
Click here to start you hotel search on Booking

Adjusted Cost Per Direct Mile: all options under 5!!
<4 = INCREDIBLE deal. If you have an interest in ever visiting this destination, book now! Or, you may be interested in making a "mileage run" out of this

4 to 5 = EXCELLENT deal
5 to 6 = great deal
6 to 7 = good deal

Houston to Lima for $273 roundtrip!!

IT'S BACK! Houston to Lima for just $273 roundtrip!!

I booked this last time it was available but I could not get off of work for those dates. So, I utilized the free 24+ hour cancellation period and got all of my money back. I'm excited to get another shot at these fares!

Travel dates:
Depart November 4, return November 11 for $273 or Nov 9-10, 12-14, 18 for $293
Depart December 4, return December 9 for $273
Depart January 9-12, 16-19, 24-26
Depart February 1-3, 8-10, 15-26, 28-29
Depart March 1-3

Example itineraries:
Wednesday November 4 - Saturday November 14
Saturday January 9 - Wednesday January 20
Saturday January 9 - Sunday January 24
Saturday January 16 - Sunday January 24
Saturday February 20 - Tuesday March 1

Flight booking:
Search and book through Orbitz (non-commission link): www.orbitz.com
Make sure to create or sign-in to your Orbitz account before booking to take advantage of their Orbucks - as I have personally found that you cannot get credit later.

Hotel booking:
Wherever I go, I always start my hotel search with Booking... and it has not let me down! Great rates on great hotels, hostels, guest houses, etc!
Click here to start you hotel search on Booking

Incredible deals starting at $80 roundtrip (no carry-on bag fees)

American Airlines and US Airways have some INCREDIBLE deals right now. But, dates and routes are limited.

Some GREAT options for mileage and/or segment "runs" to gain elite status on American / OneWorld

All dates below are available from $40-44 one-way.

• Chicago - Los Angeles
• ORD-LAX dates: Sept 22, Oct 13, 24, Nov 7
• LAX-ORD dates: Sept 5, 16, 19, 22-23, 26; Oct 7, 24; Nov 3, 7, 10
• 1.89 acpdm
• Boston - Dallas
• BOS-DFW dates: Sept 2, 5, 9, 16, 23, 30; 
• DFW-BOS dates: Sept 22, 29; Oct 3, 6, 20
• 2.11 acpdm
• Dallas - New York City
• DFW-LGA dates: Sept 8-9, 29-30; Oct 3, 6-7, 10, 20-21, 27, 31; Nov 3-4, 7, 10-11, 17-18
• LGA-DFW dates: Sept 15-16, 19, 22-23, 30; Oct 6-7, 28; Nov 4, 10-11, 17-18
• 2.34 acpdm
• Dallas - Philadelphia
• DFW-PHL dates: Oct 3, 6-7, 10, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28; Nov 3-4, 11, 17-18
• PHL-DFW dates: Oct 27; Nov 3, 10, 17
• 2.53 acpdm
• Dallas - Los Angeles
• DFW-LAX dates: Sept 2, 5, 9; Nov 17-18
• LAX-DFW dates: Sept 2, 5, 9, 12, 15, 19, 26; Oct 10; Nov 7, 10, 14, 17-18
• 2.67 acpdm
• Houston - Chicago
• IAH-ORD dates: Aug 29; Sept 15, 22, 29-30; Oct 20; Dec 5, 12
• ORD-IAH dates: Sept 16, 23; Dec 5
• 3.52 acpdm
• Boston - Chicago
• BOS-ORD dates: Sept 2, 5, 9, 12, 15, 22, 29; Oct 28; Nov 3-4, 10
• ORD-BOS dates: Sept 2, 12, 15, 22, 29; Oct 6, 20, 27-28, 31; Nov 3-4, 10
• 3.83 acpdm
• Dallas - Orlando
• DFW-MCO dates: Aug 19, 22, 25-26, 29; Sept 1-2, 5, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 26, 29-30; Oct 6, 20, 27; 
• MCO-DFW dates: Aug 29; Sept 2
• 3.65 acpdm
• Dallas - Chicago
• DFW-ORD dates: Sept 9, 12, 15-16, 19, 23, 26; Oct 6, 13-14, 17, 20-21, 24, 27-28, 31; Nov 3-4, 7, 10-11, 14, 17-18
• ORD-DFW dates: Sept 2, 5, 8-9, 12, 15-16, 19, 22-23, 26, 29-30; Oct 3, 6-7, 13-14, 17, 20-21, 24, 27-28, 31; Nov 3-4, 7, 10-11, 14, 17-18
• 4.11 acpdm
• Denver - Los Angeles
• DEN-LAX dates: Sept 12, 23; Nov 3, 7, 10-11, 17-18
• LAX-DEN dates: Sept 9, 12, 26, Oct 3, 6-7; Nov 3-4, 7, 10, 14, 17-18
• 4.18 acpdm
• Dallas - Minneapolis
• NYC - Chicago
• Atlanta - Dallas
• Chicago - Philadelphia
• Dallas - Denver
• Atlanta - Philadelphia
• Washington DC - Chicago
• Denver - Phoenix

Flight booking:
Click here to book with Hotwire (no promo code needed)

Hotel booking:
Wherever I go, I always start my hotel search with Booking... and it has not let me down! Great rates on great hotels, hostels, guest houses, etc!
Click here to start you hotel search on Booking



Adjusted Cost Per Direct Mile:
<4 = INCREDIBLE deal. If you have an interest in ever visiting this destination, book now! Or, you may be interested in making a "mileage run" out of this

4 to 5 = EXCELLENT deal
5 to 6 = great deal
6 to 7 = good deal

Austin to Saint Petersburg, Russia: $581-620 rt 2-stops

Travel dates:
Depart between October 31-December 10. Saturday-Thursday departures are cheapest.

Example itinerary:
Wednesday November 11 - Monday November 23 for $588

Pre-discount code price

Flight booking:
Click here to book with Cheapoair - use promo code NY15 for the best fare

Hotel booking:

Wherever I go, I always start my hotel search with Booking... and it has not let me down! Great rates on great hotels, hostels, guest houses, etc!
Click here to start you hotel search on Booking

Austin-Cancun: $292 roundtrip nonstop

Travel dates:
- Austin-Cancun: Saturday-Sunday Aug 22-23, 29-30
- Cancun-Austin: Saturday-Sunday Aug 29-30, Sept 5-6

Example itineraries:
- Saturday August 22 - Saturday August 29
- Saturday August 22 - Sunday August 30
- Saturday August 29 - Saturday September 5
- Saturday August 29 - Sunday September 6

Flight booking:
Click here to book with Hotwire (no promo code needed)

Hotel booking:
Wherever I go, I always start my hotel search with Booking... and it has not let me down! Great rates on great hotels, hostels, guest houses, etc!
Click here to start you hotel search on Booking

Incredible domestic deals! (August 8th)

Departure board in Frankfurt, Germany

Back from a three-week trip through China! Sorry about the lack of deals over that period. China blocks Facebook, Blogger, and pretty much all of the websites I depend on daily - and my VPN didn't work well on my Chromebook.

Anyways, to the incredible deals!

Atlanta: Los Angeles: $158* rt

Boston:

• Dallas: $81* rt
• Dallas: $117 rt
• Chicago: $81 rt

Baltimore:

• Dallas: $96* rt
• Dallas: $127 rt
• Las Vegas: $137* rt

Cleveland: Las Vegas: $157* rt

Chicago:

• Boston: $75 rt
• Los Angeles: $99 rt
• New Orleans: $81* rt
• New Orleans: $99 rt
• Santa Ana: $119 rt

Denver: Las Vegas: $81* rt

Dallas:

• Boston: $81* rt
• Boston: $117 rt
• Baltimore: $96* rt
• Baltimore: $126 rt
• Washington: $126 rt
• New York: $81 rt
• Los Angeles: $75 rt
• Portland: $127 rt
• Phoenix: $81 rt

Houston:

• Los Angeles: $97* rt
• Los Angeles: $107 rt

NYC: Dallas: $81 rt

LA:

• Atlanta: $158* rt
• Atlanta: $180 rt
• Dallas: $81 rt
• Houston: $97* rt
• Houston: $107 rt
• Chicago: $117* rt

Kansas City: Las Vegas: $97* rt

Orlando: Las Vegas: $158* rt

New Orleans: Chicago: $81 rt

Portland: Dallas: $127 rt

Philadelphia: Las Vegas: $157* rt

Phoenix: Dallas: $80 rt

Santa Ana, CA: Chicago: $119 rt

Washington DC: Las Vegas: $137* rt

An asterisk (*) indicates that the airline charges bag fees - which is why there are some duplicates for the same city.

Flight booking:
Multiple airlines are battling over these destinations. So, check multiple links to ensure that you get the best fare.
Click here to book with Hotwire (no promo code needed)
Click here to book with Cheapoair - use promo code NY15 for the best fare
Click here to book with SmartFares - use promo code SFAIR15 for the best fare
Click here to book with Momondo

Hotel booking:
Wherever I go, I always start my hotel search with Booking... and it has not let me down! Great rates on great hotels, hostels, guest houses, etc!
Click here to start you hotel search on Booking