hi all

could someone name for me a few of the US based, low cost airlines, which may be similar to Easyjet, ryanair, go, buzzaway, etc etc - which have proliferated in Europe?

I know of Southwest, but are even they trult low cost?

thanks!!

None of the US lines are as cheap as the European carriers you mentioned but Southwest comes closest. These carriers are especially cheap on last-minute arrangements but the majors tend to match them on 14 day advance purchase fares. The list: there's AirTran, Vanguard, Frontier, Pan Am (yes, they're still around with very limited routes!), Spirit, Midway, jetBlue, and a few others. Except SW, they all have limited routes and few planes so a lot depends on where you're going!

great info Airboy!

what do you think it would take for the US to get competition like in Europe?

they are spoiled for choice there!

check out this site which lists all the low cost airlines in usa with their routes
http://www.geocities.com/fwoggieuk/

Actually, competition is far better in the U.S. even if the dirt-cheap fares don't exist. Only a few major U.S. airports aren't served by at least one discount carrier while in Europe many big airports lack such service. The U.K. is blessed with choice, but other countries aren't.

Again, the U.S. discount carriers tend to be really cheap on last minute travel compared to the Americans, Uniteds, Continentals, etc.