Fares From Pittsburgh to Philadelphia Spike Almost 600%

US Airways' round-trip fare from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia will jump nearly 600 percent early next year once Southwest Airlines drops its non-stop service between the two cities.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the nonrefundable round trip fare is now $118, but will jump to $698 after Southwest ends its service on Jan. 8.

Pittsburgh International Airport spokeswoman JoAnn Jenny says Southwest couldn't afford to operate the flights, which were about half-full. US Airways flights on the route have been about three-quarters full.

A US Airways spokeswoman says federal regulations limit what she can say about pricing policies, but says the airline tries "to set fares based on what we think the market will bear.''

Travelers willing to fly through airports in Detroit or Washington, D.C. can still get fares under $200, with flight times of four to six hours.  More . . .