JetBlue starts auctioning flights on eBay

Travelers searching for air-travel deals this fall have a new option: Bid for them online.

JetBlue Airways has started auctioning round-trip flights on eBay as the slumping economy and high fuel costs have grounded passengers this fall. More than 300 round-trip flights and six vacation packages went up for auction Monday, with opening bids set between 5 and 10 cents. Bids quickly moved into hundreds of dollars for some flights.

The flights are to more than 20 destinations, including four "mystery" JetBlue Getaways Vacation packages to undisclosed locations.

The three-, five- and seven-day auctions include one- and two-person round-trip, weekend flights in September from cities including Boston, Chicago, New York, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Fort Lauderdale and Southern California. (There are flights to Seattle, from Long Beach in Southern California, but not originating in Seattle.)

Each auction will have a specific range of dates in which customers can travel. The travel dates, times and flight numbers will be posted when the customers bid.

Taxes and fees are additional and will vary according to the particular route, but they will be disclosed in each listing, according to JetBlue spokeswoman Alison Eshelman. Bidders will need to have a PayPal account.

Flights leave on Thursdays or Fridays and return on Sundays or Mondays. All travel must be completed by October 6. Get more information at http://stores.ebay.com/JetBlueAirways