The 2009 Conference schedule is now posted online. For directions on how to access the schedule please click here.  Now that the schedule is finalized there is no reason not to book your tickets to LA!  And there are still some great deals out there.  As usual, I’ve found Expedia and Orbitz to be the best bet for low rates, but let us know if you find another, cheaper way.  We’ll post it online so others can benefit as well.

Meanwhile, looking ahead to your stay in LA, I have some new resources to share with you.  The AJS will once again will be discounting gala banquet tickets, thanks to the support of several sponsors. Regular members will now pay $25 and student members $15 for the Gala Banquet, Sunday, December 20 at the Hyatt (the banquet precedes the plenary lecture, to be delivered this year by Professor István Deák). Look out for an email from the AJS on how to reserve these tickets.  For those of you arriving on Friday and looking for somewhere to spend Shabbat, hospitality information will also soon be posted on the AJS website, including contact information for nearby synagogues willing to host members.

Finally, for those of you interested in resources near the Hyatt and around LA, I have created a Google Map highlighting nearby cultural attractions, vegetarian and kosher restaurants, and more.  To see it, please click here.

We’re getting closer, everyone . . . I can’t wait to see everyone in LA!

First, for those of you who have been in touch with Kristin, the AJS Grants and Programs Coordinator who monitored and updated this blog, I want to let you know that our beloved Kristin has headed off for graduate school and no longer works at the AJS. My name is Karen and I will be picking up where Kristin left off, both on this site and in the AJS office. Feel free to contact me with any questions about the conference either through this blog or via the AJS website. I look forward to being in touch with you in the coming months and meeting you all at our conference in December.

As we head into the last few months before our December conference, I want to update everyone on the status of airfares from around the country (and Canada) and provide a special resource for students, young professionals, and teachers (see below). The prices have increased a bit across the board since the last update, but we will continue to monitor fares closely and will post news of any relevant specials. Here are the latest fares:

From New York City: Orbitz and Expedia are both offering nonstop flights from New York to LA for a total of $369 on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Using a combination of the two carriers will give you more flexibility with departure times but raises the cost to about $376.

From Washington, DC: Flights from DC are a bit more expensive with the cheapest fares on a nonstop flight starting at a total of $419 on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines (available through both Expedia and Orbitz). Again, using a combination of American and Alaska Airlines will give you more flexibility but brings the total cost of the trip to $426. Expedia is also turning up a couple of one-stop flights (connection in Dallas) on American Airlines for $405.

From Boston: The cheapest nonstop fares I can find from Boston to LA are also on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines and start at $359 (Expedia and Orbitz). Orbitz also has a number of one-stop flights with more flexible arrival and departure times but the costs are a bit higher, ranging from $389 – $400.

From Chicago: Expedia and Orbitz are both offering nonstop flights from Chicago to LA on United Airlines for a total of $416 and on US Airways for $435. Orbitz also has a several round trip tickets on United Airlines with one stop on the returning flight for $426.

From Toronto: This time Orbitz is offering the cheapest flight form Toronto with a one stop flight for $690. Nonstop flights on Orbitz start at $747 and on Expedia at $752.

From Montreal: Once again, flights from Montreal are significantly more expensive. One-stop flights on Expedia start at $725. Nonstop flights are $1,000+.

NOTE FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS: For our younger conference attendees, teachers, and graduate students, I would offer one more source for discount airline tickets. STA Travel will book flights for students, teachers, and young professionals (under age 26). I have used them several times in the past and have always found them extremely helpful and almost always the cheapest way to fly. Their website is not usually the best way to find their cheapest fares, though, so I would suggest calling (1-800-781-4044) and speaking to one of their friendly travel agents directly. There is a $7 booking fee and the reduced fares require a teacher, young professional, or student ID card (which STA will sell you for $22), but the deals are usually still worth it since the cards will get you discounts at many other venues, cultural events, and retail stores as well. Unfortunately, STA services are not available in Canada, but you can find a list of the countries which issue the discount cards here.

Good luck to everyone booking their flights. We look forward to seeing you all in California!

–> Fares have dropped for New York, Washington D.C., and for one-stop flights from Chicago.

–> Fares are up a bit for Boston and nonstop flights from Chicago. The Canadian cities continue to feature prices much higher than any of the other featured cities.

From New York: Orbitz has a one-stop flight from Laguardia (layover in Milwaukee) for a total of $317 through AirTran Airways, which is the best deal I’ve seen so far. Nonstop flights on Expedia.com are staying steady at a total $369 flying from JFK to LAX. Jet Blue is disappointing with one-way flights starting in the $194 – $289 range for a total of nearly $500 for a round trip.

From Washington D.C.: Orbitz has one AirTran Airways flight from the Baltimore airport to LAX for a total of $339. Expedia has similar flights from Baltimore to LAX, but starting at $339 – $348. Flights on either of the two from Dulles to Los Angeles are starting in the $358 price range.

From Boston: Both Expedia and Orbitz show the same $359 flight (in total) using Virgin America from Boston to Los Angeles, so it looks like flights out of Boston are staying about the same, if not a little bit ($10) more at the moment. Use your best judgment on whether you think fares will drop

From Chicago: Expedia is showing the cheapest flights through Delta at $320 total with one layover in Salt Lake City. Nonstop flights are going into the $518 range on both Expedia and Orbitz, which is about $100 more than two months ago, so prices are fluctuating both ways.

From Toronto: Expedia is giving much better deals for Toronto flights, with fares starting at $645 (not all-inclusive) with a layover at JFK.

From Montreal: Fares are high from Montreal, with Orbitz listing a flight totaling $793 and Expedia featuring a flight that totals $755 through Delta (there) and Continental (back).

BOS–>LAX: Current low fares for a roundtrip from Boston to Los Angeles have dropped around $60 down to $348 – $378 (including all taxes and surcharges) on Expedia. This is compared to a lowest fare of $407.79 just under a month ago.

NYC –>LAX: Fares have dropped less drastically (though they’ve still dropped!) down to $369.80 roundtrip–this is $10 less since the last time I checked.

WAS–>LAX: Fares from Washington DC are also down quite a bit. I am now seeing nonstop fares for a total of $389.79 – $414.80. This is quite a drop (nearly a $100 drop!) from just a month ago when the lowest nonstop fare I could find was $479.

CHI–>LAX: Chicago nonstop flights have gone down by around $25 to lowest fares of $419 – $421. This is compared to prices of $446.99 in mid-April.

Note to Canada: For our Canadian members, we realize that flight rates are currently very high for the December conference. We are working on partnering with a travel agent to try to find much cheaper prices and will keep you updated both here and via email!

NYC –>LAX: The nonstop fares here are still holding steady for a total of $379.00 roundtrip (including all taxes and surcharges). One-stop flights are about the same. However, a reminder that JetBlue has recently opened a flight route from JFK to LAX. JetBlue hasn’t yet opened booking for December ’09 yet, but you should expect them to do so by June 1st. I’ll provide an update when they open up the dates.

BOS–>LAX: Current low fares for a roundtrip from Boston to Los Angeles are at $407.79 (including all taxes and surcharges). JetBlue has also recently opened up a flight route from Boston to Los Angeles, so we will again need to wait and see what presumably lower fares they’ll offer once sales open up.

IAD/DCA–>LAX: The fares for Washington DC flights are a bit higher at $479.00 nonstop, though with a layover it goes down to $439. If you fly out of Reagan, the cheapest ticket with one layover is $379.80 roundtrip, which is comparable to our NYC flights, but without a layover it’s about the same as Dulles. JetBlue also flies from Dulles to LAX, so I’ll report on fares when they open in June.

CHI–>LAX: Chicago flights are all hovering around the $437.00 line for one-stop flights, and $446.99 line for non-stop flights. I’m not sure whether these prices have gone up or down compared to recent months as this is the first time I’ve really looked into Chicago. Sadly, JetBlue does not fly Chicago to Los Angeles.

This is the most recent overview–I will have more in the months to come and will report back once JetBlue opens up its December options. If you hear of any good flight deals to Los Angeles, let us know! You can add comments below.

Keep your eye on this blog for more information on special cultural and restaurant deals for AJS members during the conference.

Now, I am able to find direct flights at various times for a total of $379.20, including all taxes and surcharges. Let’s hope the trend continues!

If you are planning to attend the AJS conference in 2009 in Los Angeles (December 20 – 22), it might be a good idea to sign up and keep an eye on your flight fares!

It looks like flight fares are finally going down, and as it gets closer to December airlines may need to readjust their rates. We’ll continue to bring you updates on airfares through this blog.

Email Updates You can receive email updates whenever we add anything to the AJS blog by clicking on the link in the right sidebar under “Email RSS”. You will be asked for your email address; once you subscribe, you will automatically be emailed whenever a new post is added.

Comments: If you know of any spectacular flight deal, please let us know by commenting on the latest post or by emailing us at ajs@ajs.cjh.org. We will then publicize it here to help other AJS members make the best and most cost-effective flight arrangements.

Updates: This blog will often be updated more quickly than the AJS website, so keep your eye on it during conference time. If you have any suggestions as to what we can add to make this blog better and more useful, we’d love to hear them! Just email us at ajs@ajs.cjh.org.