SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America, the California-based airline known for bringing the fun and style back to flying, today announces that its upscale, low-fare seasonal service from San Francisco to Palm Springs is being expanded to a year-round flight schedule.  Virgin America first launched its nonstop service to Palm Springs in 2011 from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and added service to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) the following year.  Virgin America is celebrating its new year-round service today with an up to 20 percent discount* offer on its (SFO) to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) flights. In addition, today Virgin America also launches a unique live exhibit at its gate at Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) in partnership with Modernism Week, an annual festival that highlights the region's mid-century modern design history and community. Together, Modernism Week and Virgin America teamed up to recreate a vintage mid-century airport gate experience – in a nod to the golden age of flying, Palm Springs' design roots and Virgin America's own stylish in-flight experience.

Virgin America Also Kicks off Palm Springs Modernism Week with a Mid-Century Modern Exhibit at Its Palm Springs Airport Gate

"As the only airline headquartered in California, we know that Palm Springs is a popular destination for our loyal Bay Area flyers – and couldn't be more pleased to be expanding our seasonal SFO-PSP schedule to year-round service," said John MacLeod, Senior Vice President of Planning and Sales at Virgin America.  "Our stylish, design-driven flight experience is a perfect match for travelers headed to the Desert Oasis.  This latest expansion reflects strong demand within California in particular and is a testament to the success of our service in the market to date."   

The new year-round SFO-PSP flights are on sale now and can be purchased at virginamerica.com or 1-877-FLY-VIRGIN**. Travelers can use the special promo code "PALM20" to score up to 20 percent off* the fare of their SFO-PSP flight now through 11:59 p.m. PST on February 14 at www.virginamerica.com.   Virgin America's SFO to PSP service will operate four times weekly through the fall with weekly JFK to PSP flights remaining seasonal through May.

As of today through February 21, travelers arriving at Gate 7 at PSP will enjoy a chic take on the traditional airport gate that includes late 1960s era lounge chairs with matching ottomans, tables, Lucite lamps and more.  In addition to offering a stylish welcome to Palm Springs, the airline is also encouraging its guests to don their mid-century throwback finest.  Those who post a photo by February 21 with the hashtag  #LetModFly, will be entered for a chance to win a complimentary upgrade on a Virgin America flight.

"The City of Palm Springs is absolutely delighted that Virgin America will now fly to and from Palm Springs year-round," said Mayor Robert Moon. "Virgin America's stylish flights have been incredibly popular with sophisticated travelers visiting this region.  Also, this is reflective of the fact that Palm Springs is now a year around destination.  Therefore it is not a surprise there is more and more demand for flights to our legendary City of Palm Springs, which truly is like no place else."

Virgin America and Modernism Week's interactive vintage modern exhibit was designed by Marc Joseph of the Wonderama vintage furniture and art boutique in Palm Springs.  The gate exhibit will also include a custom-made backdrop by Los Angeles artist, Nat Reed, who is renowned internationally for his interpretations of the "Familiar Modern." Reed's last show, "Post-Fabricated, Reimagining the Already," was a highlight of Modernism Week last year.  

Palm Springs and the other cities that make up the region, including Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella offer streets lined with palm trees, the best in shopping, art galleries and museums and outdoor dining – all amidst breathtaking scenery.  In addition to luxury resorts and world-class golfing, the region has welcomed an influx of hip boutique hotels and landmark events like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.  Palm Springs has a history as the holiday home of many Hollywood stars from the 1940s on – and is known as the center of "Desert Modernism" mid-century modern architecture.  For more, visit: www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com.  

Virgin America has been named the "Best Domestic Airline" in both Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards and in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards for the past eight consecutive years. In addition to a Main Cabin that offers custom leather seating with a deeper, more comfortable pitch, Virgin America's First Class cabin offers plush white leather seating with 55 inches of pitch, 165 degrees of recline and lumbar massagers. The carrier's Main Cabin Select service offers 38-inches of pitch, free food and cocktails, an all-access pass to media, dedicated overhead bins and priority check-in/boarding. The Red® entertainment platform offers guests their own seatback touch-screen, with +25 latest release films, TV, interactive maps, videogames, a 3,000 song library, surround sound technology and an on-demand menu, which allows flyers to order from their seatback any time during a flight.  

Since its 2007 launch, Virgin America has created more than 2,800 new jobs and expanded its network to include Austin, Boston, Cancun, Chicago, Dallas Love Field, Denver (starting March 15, 2016), Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Los Cabos, Newark, New York (JFK and LGA), Orlando, Palm Springs (seasonal), Portland, Puerto Vallarta, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C. (IAD and DCA), Honolulu and Kahului, Maui.

Photos and broadcast-quality video of Virgin America aircraft are available here.

About Virgin America: Known for its mood-lit cabins, three beautifully designed classes of service and innovative fleetwide amenities like touch-screen personal entertainment and power outlets at every seat, Virgin America has built a loyal following of flyers and earned a host of awards since launching in 2007 — including being named both the "Best U.S. Airline" in Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards for the past eight consecutive years. For more: www.virginamerica.com

About Modernism Week: Modernism Week is a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization, providing scholarships to local Palm Springs students pursuing college educations in the fields of architecture and design; as well as giving grants to local and state organizations for their efforts to preserve modernist architecture throughout the state of California. Modernism Week's Mission: The mission of Modernism Week is to celebrate and foster appreciation of midcentury architecture and design, as well as contemporary thinking in these fields, by encouraging education, preservation and sustainable modern living as represented in Palm Springs.

*Terms and Conditions for PALM20 Discount: This offer expires on February 14, 2016 at 11:59pm PT. This offer is valid for nonstop and connecting travel to/from PSP only; offer is not valid for any multi-city itineraries. Travel must occur between May 2, 2016 and July 30, 2016. One time use promo code is valid in Main Cabin only. Promo code is valid for a 20% discount off the base fare on Mondays and Thursdays.  Promo code is valid for a 10% discount off the base fare on Sundays and Fridays.  Blackout dates include 5/27/16- 5/30/16 and 6/30/16 – 7/5/16.  Promo code applies to newly booked travel and may not be applied to prior bookings. Promo code discount will be deducted off of base fare. Base fares do not include Passenger Facility Charges of up to $9 each way, September 11th Security Fees of up to $5.60 per one way trip, where each one-way trip may include a connection or stopover between two domestic flights not exceeding 4 hours, and a Federal Segment Tax of $4.00 per domestic segment. A segment is a takeoff and landing. A stopover is a break in travel of more than 4 hours between 2 flights. For service to/from Mexico, base fares do not include the U.S. Immigration User Fee of $7, the U.S. APHIS fee of $3.96, the U.S. Customs processing fee of $5.50, a U.S. International Arrival/Departure Tax of $17.50 each way and additional taxes/fees of up to $70, including: Mexico International Departure Tax and Mexico Tourism Tax.  Promo code may not be redeemed for cash. Promo code may only be used for bookings made on virginamerica.com and is only valid on itineraries of up to 2 guests. Offer is not transferable and cannot be combined with any other offers. Seats are limited, subject to availability, and may not be available on all flights. If travel is changed or cancelled, promo code discount will become invalid. For travel solely between points in the Continental Western Region (LAS/LAX/PDX/PSP/PVR/SAN/SEA/SFO/SJD only), DAL-LAS, and DEN-SFO, changes or cancellations can be made for a $100 fee per guest through all channels, plus any increase in fare, if applicable. For all other itineraries, changes or cancellations can be made for a $150 fee per guest through all channels, plus any increase in fare, if applicable.  Any remaining balance will be placed in a guest's travel bank, good for travel on Virgin America for one year from date of issue. Promotion code is not eligible for Elevate points redemption bookings. Guests who no-show without a change or cancellation prior to the scheduled departure time will forfeit the amount of this fare. In addition, any future flights booked in the same reservation will also be canceled and the fare will be forfeited. Tickets purchased from Virgin America through our reservation call center will cost an additional $20 per guest per itinerary. Any added cost associated with purchasing tickets from Virgin America through our reservation call center will be non-refundable. Fares will not be honored retroactively or in exchange for any wholly or partially used ticket.  Fares, routes, fees and schedules are subject to change without notice.  Virgin America will accept up to ten pieces of checked baggage, up to 50 pounds each, per ticketed guest traveling within the U.S. The fee for each piece of checked baggage up to 50 pounds in Main Cabin is $25. Additional fees apply to baggage exceeding these weight limitations, and other baggage restrictions may apply. 

**Any guest calling within the United States has access to a complimentary telecommunication relay service by dialing 711. For more information, go to: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/telecomm.asp

Virgin America Also Kicks off Palm Springs Modernism Week with a Mid-Century Modern Exhibit at Its Palm Springs Airport Gate

 

Virgin America logo.

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