It isn’t even Christmas yet, and the airlines are starting their after-Christmas sales.

SeaTac’s Alaska Airlines, for instance, is touting its “Extend Your Holiday” sale with fares as low as $59 each way to San Francisco and $69 to Los Angeles.

With taxes, those fares are $139 and $159 roundtrip.

Alaska’s rival, San Francisco-based Virgin America, is matching those fares. United Airlines is matching those fares to San Francisco and nearly matching them to LAX.

Credit the recession and falling fuel prices as well as the usual January travel lull for the bargain fares.

The cheap fares, of course, have conditions in the fine print. On Alaska, the tickets must be purchased before the end of 2008 and apply for travel between Jan. 6 and Feb. 11. A two-week advance purchase is necessary to secure the low fares. The tickets must be purchased on the airline’s Web site. Tickets purchased by phone or at the counter will cost more.