I half-heartedly checked out Alaska's low price guarantee this weekend, thinking there was no way

I half-heartedly checked road conditions travel out Alaska’s  low price guarantee this weekend,  thinking there was no way I’d find a drop in price for a December flight to Hawaii that I’d bought a while ago.  But in about a minute, after a couple of clicks on the Alaska website , I ended up with a $60 refund (in the form of a credit to use on a future flight).  For once, an airline made me happy.
Co-workers of mine use Alaska’s low-fare guarantee regularly. One just got back $85.51 on a trip to Palm Springs. Another, who s nicknamed road conditions travel  “Miles Boy” since he flies so much on Alaska and is a master at getting upgrades, estimates he’s saved about $1,000 over the last two years using the low-fare guarantee. (There’s also another Alaska  low-price program: You can get a refund if you find a cheaper fare for the same flights on a website other than Alaska’s within 24 hours of purchase.)
There are, of course, some restrictions when it comes to using Alaska s fare guarantee.  You can’t change your original flights; road conditions travel it won’t work if your ticket road conditions travel includes flights on other airlines (although Horizon flights and two other small associated carriers are included);  and there are some timing restrictions. But check it out. It’s easy. And you can look  for fare changes frequently.
Here s how: Assuming you bought your ticket road conditions travel online (although you can also try through a reservations agent), sign in to your account at alaskaair.com. Go to “My Trips” and open up your purchased ticket.  At the bottom right of the page that gives your flight details, you’ll see (in little type)  “Low Price Guarantee.” Click on that, and the website will search for a lower fare and cough it up if there’s one. That’s it. You can take your refund in the form of a credit for future flights that’s stored in your Alaska Airlines road conditions travel online wallet.
You must meet all requirements of the new fare, including advance purchase requirements on the date of the Guaranteed  Airfare transaction, and change your ticket through alaskaair.com or  Alaska road conditions travel Airlines road conditions travel Reservations. Credits cannot be processed through a travel  agent or other channel.
road conditions travel If you have a nonrefundable ticket, any difference in  fare will be credited in the form of a credit certificate. Credit certificates   are not redeemable for cash, check or gift certificates. Credit certificates will be forfeited if obtained road conditions travel or used in an illegal or  fraudulent manner, or through unauthorized persons or channels.
Unpublished fares, award tickets (except Money and Miles awards), vacation packages or group discounts, tickets on  subcontractor, codeshare, or other offline flights are not subject to the Guaranteed Airfare rule.
Kristin Jackson , travel editor at The Seattle Times, grew up in Italy, went to university in Britain, and worked as a journalist in London and Vancouver, B.C., before migrating back to Seattle where she’s happy at her desk but way happier on the road.
Brian J. Cantwell road conditions travel , Outdoors editor at The Seattle Times, is a Seattle native who chose not to leave -- except for every chance he gets to go someplace interesting or adventurous. He lives on his sailboat at Shilshole Bay Marina.