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While some fares skyrocket, JetBlue offering $99 flights for those trying to escape Irma

September 7, 2017 at 9:46 a.m. EDT
U.S. airlines are helping residents get out of Hurricane Irma's path by slashing prices. JetBlue and American are capping outbound fares at $99; Delta at $399. (Video: Reuters)

JetBlue is offering $99 seats on flights from South Florida and other parts of the country that are likely to see Irma’s fury. The nonstop flights are going fast, however, as many people are hurrying to escape the Category 5 hurricane.

The get-out-of-Irma’s-way fares are available through Sept. 13, the carrier said Wednesday, but as of Thursday morning, it said, many of the fares are gone.

Airlines scramble and roads fill as residents and visitors rush to get out of Florida ahead of Irma

Fares are for one-way nonstop for remaining flights in select markets, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Caicos and Haiti. Connecting flights from Florida were capped at $159.

“Due to high interest in this offer, seats are predominantly sold out,” JetBlue said in an update on its website.

But a search from Fort Lauderdale to Washington Thursday morning generated one option to leave Friday night for $99. More $99 options are available to New York and even a $51 fare to Chicago. Some nonstop fares are also still available.

Delta said Thursday that is capped  one-way fares at $399 to and from southern Florida. The airline said it has expanded its weather waiver to include airports in Georgia and South Carolina.

JetBlue is also waiving fees for changes in reservations to travelers who must cancel or adjust their flights as a result of the storm. The airline had added flights out of select cities where they have aircraft available, a company spokesman said.

$3,200 for a one-way ticket out of Miami? The story behind that viral Hurricane Irma tweet

Other airlines have been criticized for hiking one-way fares for flights out of areas in the path of the storm. The airlines have denied accusations of price-gouging.

In some cases, seats are selling for over $1,000 for fares that typically go for as little as $99. Some consumers took to Twitter Wednesday to complain about the exorbitantly high fares all across Florida.