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Bay Area Fare Wars Continue

Southwest Airlines is going to have to fight a little harder for the business of its Vegas-going Bay Area clients. The carrier will have some heavy competition starting Wednesday when Virgin America begins three round trips a day from San Fran to Vegas.

While this is bad news for Southwest, its great news for those considering a Sin City getaway, as both airlines are bending over backwards to win the hearts and pocketbooks of potential fliers. When Virgin announced $44 one-way tickets, not only did Southwest match the fare, it also more than doubled the number of daily flights Virgin offered.

So, since price is no longer a decision-maker, Virgin is the way to go: You'll fly on a brand-new plane with all the VA amenities, while Southwest will send you off on an old school jet sporting with no seat-back TV in sight.

But Southwest does have one advantage over its new rival: The carrier's flights operate out of OAK and SJC while Virgin runs flights out of SFO, where weather and congestion often hold up service. Keeping flights on-time is a great way to stay competitive.

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