Blountville, TN: Lower fares have landed at Tri-Cities Regional Airport. Travelers can get great deals on airfare to many destinations across the United States if they check prices from TRI and act quickly.

The Airport monitors fares weekly and has seen a drop in some fares by more than 60 percent on US Airways and Delta Air Lines since their high point in the summer. Rates will vary by destination, travel dates, carrier, purchase dates and seat availability, but are usually lowest if passengers can purchase tickets at least 21 days in advance and include a Saturday night stay.

"We know flying isn’t cheap on network carriers, but at least now it is more affordable on US Airways and Delta," says Melissa Thomas, TCRA director of marketing and air service development. "We’ve been working closely with our carriers for some time to bring rates more in line with neighboring airports and they have responded."

On US Airways and Delta, which is merging with Northwest Airlines, passengers have access to daily flights and extensive networks that allow them to travel to destinations world wide.

"We encourage people to consider the convenience of using Tri-Cities Regional Airport when making their travel plans," said Thomas. "Now lower, more competitive fares should help make the decision to use TRI even easier."

There are some important things to remember when checking prices:

Passengers can check fares and book airline tickets quickly and easily on the Airport’s website at www.TRIflight.com.