Many people who aspire to travel in the upcoming months are shopping around for the best prices to popular vacation destinations.
In that spirit, American Airlines (AAL) seems to have found a major way to appeal to potential customers with respect to one iconic location.
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Widely known as the southernmost city in the continental U.S., Key West, Fla. has a rich history and a reputation for being a relaxed and fun warm-climate vacation spot.
As the winter months turn to spring, Florida in general is a highly sought after state for travelers to visit. American Airlines — with an assist from Google (GOOG) — makes a compelling argument to visit Key West specifically.
From March until May, some inexpensive fares exist from major U.S. cities to the city Ernest Hemingway called home in the 1930s.
How to book the best airfares to Key West
The first thing potential passengers need to do is to browse Google Flights to find the best fares. The next is to be sure to book directly with American Airlines.
Routes to Key West International Airport include departures from New York City, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Washington, D.C.
Writing for The Points Guy, Mike Avila found the following example airfares:
You can fly out of New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Key West International Airport (EYW) in April for just $194 roundtrip, a discount of almost 50% from typical prices. This is American's basic economy tier, which gets you a free carry-on but no seat selection. The same reduced rate can be found for this same route in May. Be aware that fares we found out of NYC involved layovers each way, including some that are 45 minutes or less.
You can kick your summer vacation off early with a great fare we found at the end of May out of New York City. You can fly American out of Kennedy Airport to Key West for just $196 roundtrip. This flight has a layover in Miami each way, but this is a monster discount for this route.
We found lots of discounted flights from the nation's capital. For example, American has roundtrip tickets from Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) to the Keys for only $193 — and it's a nonstop flight.
If you live in Houston, you can save big money on a Memorial Day weekend getaway to the Keys. You can book a roundtrip economy ticket on American for only $258, which is a huge discount off normal prices for this route.
Image source: Shutterstock
Why Key West is a popular vacation destination
There are a number of reasons travelers choose to visit the city.
"Key West is one of the most beautiful places in the U.S., full of fun bars, and loaded with character. Whether you want to relax on the beach, go fishing or simply enjoy bar-hopping up and down Duval Street, this latest deal alert will help you save big money on a trip down south," Aliva wrote.
Bars, cafes and live music are big attractions on Duval Street in Key West.
Hemingway's former home is one of the historic sites people often visit while in town.
The Key West Aquarium is a famous destination, featuring tropical fish, sharks, jellyfish and turtles.
The city is also a popular place for snorkeling, diving and fishing. Many people visit Key West for its beaches and to simply soak up its tropical atmosphere.
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