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Low-cost airfare is back: Fly from $21 on full-service carriers into 2021

Sept. 19, 2020
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4 min read
Low Angle View Of Airplane Flying Against Sky During Sunset
Low-cost airfare is back: Fly from $21 on full-service carriers into 2021
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As the travel industry reopens following COVID-19 shutdowns, TPG suggests that you talk to your doctor, follow health officials' guidance and research local travel restrictions before booking that next trip. We will be here to help you prepare, whether it is next month or next year.

Low-cost airfare is officially back.

We saw this coming with the recent Alaska Airlines buy one, get one sale, and United award tickets selling from 5,000 miles each way.

Though we're still in the midst of a pandemic, with masks required on all U.S. airlines and quarantines still in effect when entering many states, several domestic airlines are clearly ready to try and stimulate demand the old fashioned way with cheap airfare.

How cheap, you ask? We're talking $21 from New York to Florida on a full-service airline cheap, or $57 for a transcontinental flight on a low-cost airline. Seriously.

Related: What it's like to fly in the U.S. right now

There's certainly room for very reasonable debate about whether now is the best time for more travelers to leave home and take to the sky just because the tickets are cheap. But, with TSA screening numbers still generally trending upward week over week (reaching, so far, over 800,000 people daily), people are flying.

So, if you've decided to fly again, you might as well get the best deal you can.

(Photo by Summer Hull/The Points Guy)

Another upside of these unusually cheap tickets is that you don't have much money on the line if you need to ditch your travel plans at the last minute.

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In many cases, the airlines are still allowing you to change your plans without penalty, but if you paid several hundred dollars for a ticket, that's still several hundred dollars you'll have tied up with the airline until you do ultimately fly. But if you only paid $21 for a ticket, that's a relatively inexpensive purchase if you change your mind.

Related: 5 tips for planning a trip during the ongoing pandemic

Here are some evergreen tips for finding the cheapest flights, but if you're curious about the low fares airlines are advertising right now, here's a sample of deals we've found well below normal prices. We mostly highlighted discounted basic economy fares on full-service carriers.

  • Newark (EWR) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL): $21 one-way on United, dates into late January 2021
  • Newark to Austin: $26 one-way on Spirit, dates into March 2021
  • Chicago (ORD) to New York (LGA) $40 one-way on American or United, dates into February 2021
  • Denver (DEN) to Chicago: $41 one-way on United or American, dates into February 2021 (tickets start at $20 on Frontier)
  • Houston (IAH) to Newark: $43 one-way on United, dates into December
  • Washington-Dulles (IAD) to Chicago: $49 one-way on United, dates into February 2021
  • Los Angeles (LAX) to Austin (AUS): $50 one-way on United, American, and JetBlue dates into January 2021 (tickets start at $38 on Spirit)
  • Dallas (DFW) to Orlando (MCO): $50 one-way on American, dates into December (tickets start at $24 on Frontier)
  • Miami to Los Angeles: $57 one-way on American, dates into March 2021

Related: We compared pandemic-era flights on four airlines, here's what it was like

Moulton Barn, Grand Tetons, Jackson Wyoming
Moulton Barn at the base of the Grand Tetons in Jackson Wyoming. (Photo by strickke / Getty Images)

Bottom line

It's been a long time since there were so many opportunities to fly for around the cost of a meal at Applebees on carriers such as United and American.

Coincidentally (or not), these are the airlines not guaranteeing blocked middle seats. If you want to ensure you'll have that extra space, you may need to budget in the cost of buying a second seat, too.

Additional reporting by Andrew Kunesh

Featured image by Getty Images

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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.