Virgin America to Launch New Austin, Anchorage Routes
By: Darren Booth
Virgin America on Tuesday announced new service to Austin and Anchorage from its home base at San Francisco International Airport. Other airlines quickly matched Virgin America's fares for the new routes.
Daily nonstop flights to Austin begin May 21. Service to Anchorage will be seasonal with six nonstop flights per week operating from June 6 to September 9.
Virgin America will compete directly with United Airlines and JetBlue on the Austin route, where United has four daily nonstop flights and JetBlue has one.
A check of airfares to Austin from San Francisco showed Virgin America is offering roundtrip flights for as low as $178 on off-peak days, such as Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Both United and JetBlue have matched the fare.
Virgin America will compete with United on the Anchorage route, with both airlines offering one nonstop flight. United has also matched Virgin's lowest fare in the market of $398 roundtrip.
Last year, Virgin America launched new service from San Francisco to Philadelphia and Washington's Reagan National Airport. (Read more: 'Barack' and 'Mitt' Help Launch Virgin America Flights to DC)
Virgin America operates an all-Airbus fleet which sports Wi-Fi on every flight and power outlets and personal touch-screen entertainment systems at every seat. (Read more: Road Warrior Tested: Virgin America First Class)
For more information on Virgin America's new service to Austin and Anchorage, click here.
