Ridiculously Cheap Travel Deals: JetBlue Offers Unlimited Flights for $599

Aug. 12, 2009— -- Discount airline JetBlue is launching a new unlimited travel pass that can save frequent leisure travelers a lot of money on their vacations.

For $599, customers can purchase an unlimited travel pass that lets them fly for free to any of the airline's 56 international and domestic destinations as often as they like between Sept. 8 and Oct. 8.

Pass holders will have access to every available seat on every flight with no blackout dates, according to the airline, as long as they book the flight three days before departure. If they fail to show up, they will be charged $100 and the pass will be suspended until they pay the fine.

The JetBlue pass is just one of the crazy travel deals being offered these days. Hotels around the globe are slashing rates and throwing in lavish packages to lure travelers to their resorts. Besides the JetBlue pass, ABC News has found seven other travel deals that will simply shock you.

The JetBlue pass appears to be a great deal if you plan on flying more than once in that month. Consider this: A quick search by ABC News today found that the cheapest JetBlue flight from New York's JFK Airport to San Francisco on Sept. 8, returning two days later, would cost $344.80. Do that trip twice and you have already saved money.

But Ray Neidl, an independent airline analyst, said it's "not quite as crazy as it sounds on the surface."

He said that JetBlue has a limited number of routes and often has fares of $99. So, while the San Francisco example above makes it sound like a great deal, Neidl said, some passengers might need to make six trips to make it worthwhile.

"There are not a lot of people who can travel that much," he said. "It's students or retirees."

Passes must be purchased by Aug.21 and it includes all taxes unless flying to Puerto Rico or one of JetBlue's international destinations.

Travelers who have already purchased a flight on JetBlue within that travel window can convert their existing ticket into a pass.

Graeme Wallace, chief technology officer for travel site FareCompare.com, said for folks just wanting to go to Florida from New York, it's probably not a good value. He sees this targeted at trying to get business travelers back in the air.

"If you are road warrior who has to fly across the country once a week, then it's a deal," Wallace said. "If you are going to just visiting grandma in Ft. Lauderdale, it's not such a good deal."

He noted that September and October are the "dead season" for airlines with leisure travelers staying away from the sky.

"It will be interesting to see if other airlines hop on" with their own passes, Wallace added.