For travelers who do their airline ticket buying online, United Express is offering cut rates on winter flights between North Bend and Portland.

Fares will start as low as $99 one way and require 14-day advance purchase, the company announced Tuesday.

The airline has struggled to fill seats on its Portland flights. For the 12 months ending December 2008, passenger traffic on those flights at Southwest Oregon Regional Airport dropped 39 percent. If ridership is below United Express’ break-even point, below 64 percent of seats filled per flight, the airport district reimburses the airline.

For tickets purchased through United reservation offices or at airport ticket counters in this new program, additional reservation fees may apply, including $25 for United reservation office bookings and $30 for airport ticket counter bookings.

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On the Net:

http://www.united.com