Prices are cut up to 25% for
Hawaii, most of the
mainland and Canada

Staff and wire reports

Travelers are seeing the first full air fare sale of the fall, a welcome respite from plane ticket price increases earlier this year. Hawaii fares on off-peak, advance-booked tickets are about 25 percent lower than currently listed prices.

Northwest Airlines, the nation's fourth-largest airline, kicked off the fare sale during the weekend and the fare changes were formally announced today. American Airlines quickly matched the sale, which includes most of the continental United States, Hawaii, and Canada. Other airlines cutting prices included United, Continental, Trans World and Delta.

Northwest did not have Hawaii fares immediately available but American gave some examples for travel in September.

The off-peak Chicago-Honolulu round-trip fare at the sale price will be $612 in September, compared with the $868 lowest fare now on the books for that time, the airline said.

The fall fares are for tickets purchased 14 days in advance and are good for travel through Dec. 17. Northwest's fare posting in travel agency computers shows the lowest fares on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The nonrefundable tickets must be purchased by Aug. 13 and a Saturday night stay is required, Northwest said.

Many international flights were announced as part of the sale as well, but those discounts have been available for more than a week, according to Tom Parsons, editor of www.bestfares.com, an Internet site that tracks travel costs.

Descending fares A fall air-fare sale, kicked off by Northwest Airlines over the weekend, includes these discounts for Honolulu-mainland roundtrips compared with the current lowest listed fares. Various restrictions apply to the new fares. Destination -- Fall -- Current Los Angeles -- $353 -- $596 Chicago -- $612 -- $868 New York -- $713 -- $960