Deal alert: Flights to Alaska from Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle from $159 round trip
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Alaska continues to prove irresistible for travelers seeking outdoor adventures and for those who simply want to take in the state's natural beauty. This new deal gives travelers in the Western U.S. the chance to visit in the fall at a discount.
Round-trip flights from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle to Anchorage and Juneau are available for less than $300. But we also found some tickets as low as $159. Most flights we saw involved a layover, but there are a few nonstops, too.
This sale involves economy fares, which means you'll have to pay extra to check luggage. Checking a bag will cost you around $30 each way on Alaska or Delta, so keep that in mind as you choose your itinerary and reach out to the airline or check online before you book.
The best availability for this sale is for travel between September and November this year. Holidays are excluded from this deal.
Thanks to Scott's Cheap Flights for first alerting us to this deal. Its Premium membership is available for $49 per year, while the Elite tier option is available for $199 per year. The latter offers access to deals on premium economy, business- and first-class tickets.
As always, be as flexible with your travel plans as possible, as it'll typically help you find better prices.
Deal basics
Airline: Alaska, Delta.
Routes: Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; San Francisco; Seattle; and other cities to Anchorage and Juneau, Alaska.
How to book: Search Google Flights and book directly with the airline.
Travel dates: Best availability from September through November.
Related: Experience the wonders of Alaska in a single trip to Anchorage
Sample flights
Let's start with a great fare from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Juneau International Airport (JNU) on Alaska Airlines. You can fly nonstop in October for $159 round-trip. It's a Saver fare, so you get a free carry-on but you'll have to pay $60 to check a bag.
You can book a Delta basic economy flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juneau for $269 round trip. As we mentioned above, checking a bag will cost you $60 with this ticket.
We found the same price on Delta for this route in early November.
There are some great deals to be had out of Las Vegas, too. You can book a Delta basic economy seat from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) to Juneau in September for just $265 round trip. That route usually costs much more.
The best discounts we saw were for flights to Juneau, but here's one for Anchorage. If you live in Portland, you can fly from Portland International Airport (PDX) to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) in late October for $212 round trip on Delta. We saw a lot of availability at this price.
Maximize your purchase
Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), the Citi Prestige® Card for 5 points per dollar on airfare, the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees), or Chase Sapphire Reserve for 3 points per dollar on air travel, the American Express® Gold Card for 3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2 points per dollar on travel.
The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
September and October are especially nice times to visit Alaska as the crowds thin out. It's also a nice time to plan a whale-watching excursion. So if you've been wanting to explore America's "Last Frontier," this sale could be your chance.