Starting next month, discounts of at least 10% will be offered on cross-strait flights by three domestic airlines. But the actual deals may not be as attractive as they sound, since only a limited number of seats per flight are available for special rates, and savings through discounts can be easily eaten up by rising fuel surcharges this year.

September is travel off-season, but airfare has not fallen significantly due to the recovering economy.

Earlier this week, China Airlines and EVA Air announced an airfare reduction for several popular routes, including Taoyuan-Beijing.

TransAsia Airways also announced a 27% price reduction on Songshan-Hangzhou and Songshan-Tianjin routes contingent on availability.

Taoyuan-Pudong tickets prices have been slashed from 15,000 NT to 13,000 NT, which amounts to a 10% discount.

While the public feels that fares should be reduced further, travel agencies say that the number of discount tickets is actually limited, and that current ticket prices aren't necessarily cheaper than last year because airlines adjusted their fuel surcharges earlier this year.

In order to take advantage of special fares, travelers should book their tickets as early as possible.

China Airlines, for example, is only offering sixty seats per flight at discounted prices.

The new prices will go into effect on August 26th, and passengers that have already reserved tickets can inquire with airlines about the possibility of price difference refunds.