Deal alert: Visit Charleston, South Carolina for as low as $97 nonstop

Few cities have perfected the art of southern hospitality like Charleston, South Carolina. The Palmetto State's largest city is steeped in history and is a great place for a trip that combines cultural exploration with incredible culinary opportunities.

This deal features discounted fares from normal prices, with many nonstop flights available for under $100. It's worth noting that the Breeze, JetBlue, and United tickets do not include a full-size carry-on. You'll find availability from now until April 2022, but the sale does not include Christmas and New Year's.

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Thanks to our friends Scott's Cheap Flights for tipping us off to this deal, which they first sent out to their premium subscribers.

Non-members can find sale prices by using Google Flights to search for desired routes and dates.

Deal basics

Airlines: American, Breeze, Delta, JetBlue, United
Routes: BWI/CAK/CLE/CMH/EWR/LGA/LAX/MIA/MSY/PIT and other cities to Charleston, SC (CHS)
Cost: From $97 round-trip
Dates: December-April 2022; limited availability.

Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5x 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 5x on airfare; the Citi Premier® Card (3x on air travel); Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on air travel); the American Express® Gold Card for 3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2x on travel — which you could redeem for as little as 13,000 points.

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.

JetBlue has nonstop fares in December from New York City (JFK) to Charleston for just $97. It's a Blue Basic fare, which means you don't get a free carry-on. Still, these prices are more than 50% less than usual and will likely rise in the next few days.

Savvy travelers who only need a carry-on bag for quick getaways should consider upgrading to Blue for just $50. Checking a bag on a Blue Basic fare will cost you $60 on this ticket, but upgrading your ticket gets you the free carry-on and actually saves you $10.

Related: BBQ legend Rodney Scott on what to see, do and eat in Charleston

Delta has NYC-Charleston nonstop Basic Economy fares for just $117 in February. That comes with the free carry-on bag.

Breeze Airways has $82 nonstop fares available for travel in March from Columbus, Ohio (CMH) to Charleston.

Delta has Detroit (DTW) to Charleston Basic Economy nonstop tickets for just $179 round-trip. That's nearly 50% less than this fare usually sells for.

Breeze also has nonstop Pittsburgh (PIT) to Charleston flights in March priced at $82 round-trip.

Maximize your purchase

Don’t forget to use a card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, like The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5x 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 5x on airfare; the Citi Premier® Card (3x on air travel); Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on air travel); the American Express® Gold Card for 3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2x on travel — which you could redeem for as little as 13,000 points.

Bottom Line

Remember to allow yourself some flexibility to book the best price and also to work on your packing skills. Being able to travel light can definitely save you money. And when you get to Charleston, save some room for the barbecue and the shrimp and grits!