Wide-ranging Alaska deal alert: Round-trip flights under $200

Airlines are showing love for the 49th U.S. state, with some of the best deals we've seen in 2021 for flights to Alaska. Flights departing from various U.S. cities to both Fairbanks and Anchorage are going for as low as $163 ... and did we mention that's nonstop?

Today's deal comes from Scott's Cheap Flights' Premium service, which let us know that flights to Alaska typically start at $850 if departing from the East Coast and at $550 for our friends out west, which makes today's deal — largely featuring fares under $400 — even sweeter. You're welcome in advance.

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Airline: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta and United.
Routes: ORD/MCO/MSP/EWR/BOI/SEA/IAH/PHX/DCA/PDX/BNA and others to FAI/ANC.
Cost: Starting at $161 round-trip for select routes.
Dates: Book for travel from October-December, excluding Thanksgiving.
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 or Chase Sapphire Reserve for 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.

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.

You could depart from 100 cities collectively to either Anchorage (ANC) or Fairbanks (FAI), including the below round-trip routes:

• Seattle (SEA) to Fairbanks, starting at $163 for a nonstop flight.
• Kansas City, Missouri (MCI), to Anchorage, starting at $161.
• Boise (BOI) to Fairbanks, starting at $171.
• New York (JFK) to Fairbanks, starting at $179.
• Phoenix (PHX) to Fairbanks, starting at $180.
• Chicago (ORD) to Anchorage, starting at $191.
• Orlando (MCO) to Anchorage, starting at $199.
• Philadelphia (PHL) to Anchorage, starting at $199.
• Newark (EWR) to Fairbanks, starting at $234.
• Minneapolis (MSP) to Anchorage, starting at $276 for a nonstop flight.

Although Scott's Cheap Flights says this deal reaches across multiple airlines, I found Alaska had the majority of the lowest fares in my test search.

You could catch a flight as soon as next week. For folks from Seattle, congrats, as you are about to enjoy the cheapest fares: just $169 for a round-trip, nonstop flight to Fairbanks, departing in two weeks on Alaska's home airline, Alaska Airlines. The below flight is almost half its normal price.

Related: Alaska makes it easier to requalify for elite status, announces 100K status tier qualification

This is for Alaska's saver fare, which does not include your choice of seat or the ability to change your ticket for free. (Note that the airline has waived change fees for all other ticket types). If you'd like a bit more flexibility, you could upgrade to the main cabin for $59, although you'll still have to pay to check a bag. Carry-on bags are free in each class.

While cross-country flights are generally going to be more expensive, you can get a round-trip flight from New York to Fairbanks for less than $200 with just a 1 1/2-hour layover each way.

Turning our attention to Anchorage, you'll find one of the best routes in the deal is for those flying out of Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) for under $300 on — you guessed it — Alaska Airlines.

I did find a decent round-trip flight for less than $400 on Delta, from Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C., to Anchorage.

As is the case with the Alaska Airlines flights, this is for Delta's lowest fare, basic economy, which includes one complimentary carry-on sans seat selection, but does allow you to change your flight for free, while paying any difference in fares.

Read more: Alaska announces MVP Gold 100K benefits — and you might be disappointed

Should you find another flight in this deal on United, note that their economy fare does not include a carry-on bag, so factor in an extra $25. Airlines generally charge around $40 each way to upgrade to regular economy, in addition to $30-$35 each way to check a bag.

While this is not an Alaska Airlines-specific deal, the low-cost flights are just one of several deals we've seen on the airline lately, which announced an extension of their "fast track to status" promotion earlier this week, in addition to making it easier to requalify for elite status and their upcoming MVP Gold 100K status tier.

Read more: Why changes at Alaska Airlines have me switching my flying and credit card spending