Airline rates have plunged as a result of the United States’ current economic recession.

Justin Bachman, a reporter for Yahoo! News, describes the cheap airfare as sitting at “bargain basement levels.” As a result of depreciated ticket sales, certain airlines are offering deals and incentives to entice customers to fly with them. Double-mile promotions are being offered for people traveling for business, while some airlines are offering deals for individuals flying for pleasure. United Airlines, for instance, is selling a one-way ticket to Moscow for as low as $119.

Things aren’t looking up for the airlines either. Experts project that sales for the spring and summer will fall below what the airlines are expecting. The majority of the decline is seen in the sale of business-class tickets.

According to the International Air Transport Association, “The fact that average premium fares are falling faster than discounted economy fares on some markets is a measure of how severe the downturn in business travel has become.”

In order to boost sales, some airlines will be pushing the upgrade option on their customers. Upon check-in, travelers will be asked if they would like to upgrade their seat to first-class for a small additional fee.

Other airlines are trying the method of “short sales.” These sales offer discounted rates but only for a very limited time. U.S. Airways and United Airlines have both tried the three-day-sale within this past week. In addition to filling seats, these “short sales” foster competition by encouraging different airlines to offer comparable rates.