Delta Offers Online Discount Air Fares

Delta Air Lines, which earlier announced a $2 round-trip surcharge for non-Internet ticket purchases, and then backed off, tried the “carrot” approach last week: It will post heavily discounted, short-notice weekend fares to various U.S. cities regularly on its Internet Web site to try to entice people to book online.

Although Delta has occasionally offered such fares in the past, the weekly posting is new, a spokeswoman said. In a program similar to other major airlines, Delta is posting the round-trip fares each Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time (9:01 p.m. Tuesday, Pacific time), good only for departures on the next Saturday and returns the following Monday or Tuesday. The tickets must be bought online at the site, https://www.delta-air.com. Click on “Special Offers.”

Discounts vary. Last week, for instance, Atlanta-L.A. round trips were posted at $214, compared to a 14-day advance-purchase fare of $308 and more than $1,000 for full-fare coach, the spokeswoman said.