Dallas golfers can now land grand with new Spirit Airlines service to Myrtle Beach

In the last week, a few developments in air travel have caught my eye. First off, taxes and fees are now included in airline price quotes, a result of a new Department of Transportation mandate. While I wrote awhile back that it seemed like excessive government regulation, it sure is convenient to the consumer, especially when you’re looking at flights to Europe and Mexico, where the added taxes and fees are a big chunk of the ticket.

That’s not all, click here to see the full DOT list of airline rules, including the ability to hold a reservation for 24 hours without penalty.

We’ll see if it sticks around, as CNN.com reports that Republican Congressman Tom Graves from Georgia plans to introduce a bill next week that will attempt to repeal the new mandate. But I think airlines would likely receive a lot of blowback if they stopped posting their fares this way.

In other news in the air, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday and Spirit Airlines have announced new non-stop service to Myrtle Beach from Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (DFW), connecting one of the best golf cities with one of the best destinations. Spirit’s seasonal service begins May 3.

As Spirit often does, they’ve introduced their new route with $9 fares, which, thanks to the new rules in advertising fares is $28.79 (maybe not as catchy as $9). Spirit does charge bag fees for both carry-ons and checked luggage, so factor that in when pricing out your trip.

While drive-to visitors have always made up a large chunk of area golf tourism, Myrtle Beach Airport has been expanding its radius for years, and Dallas is another destination that will help attract a national audience to the 100-plus so area golf courses. If you’re in a Grand Strand state of mind, check out WorldGolf.com’s Myrtle Beach golf packages.