Fare to Chicago on Southwest: $69 one way
By LIZ FEDOR and PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune
November 6, 2008
Low-fare airline Southwest Airlines today revealed its fare for its new, long-awaited service between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Chicago's Midway Airport: $69 for a one-way trip.
That significantly undercuts the cheapest fares now offered to Chicago by Northwest, American and United: $426 one-way and $376 roundtrip, not including holiday specials, according to Rick Seaney of FareCompare.com.
Northwest has said it would match Southwest's fares to Chicago and expand service to 10 or more roundtrip flights daily to O'Hare and Midway.
Southwest's service will begin March 8 with eight daily nonstop roundtrip flights to Midway. The $69 fare is for a 21-day advance purchase and does not include airport fees and taxes.
Southwest says its airline is known for stimulating traffic and decreasing fares when it enters a market.
Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said in late September, when the airline announced expansion to the Twin Cities, that Southwest will offer at least eight to 10 daily departures to Midway beginning in March.
Southwest, which now carries more fliers domestically than any other airline, connects to more than 50 cities from Midway.
Liz Fedor • 612-673-7709 Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482