There and back again, a flight's tale

Flights are expensive

Who'd have thunk?
I'm currently looking for flights to Atlanta, Georgia.  From my rough googling so far, it seems that flights to New York plus accommodation in New York plus getting south are about the same as just flying to Atlanta on a single ticket.  So I'm looking for flights that will actually let me take baggage with me.  This is, as it turns out, rather pricey.
Getting back isn't much better.  And unfortunately, Bangor in Maine doesn't do international flights so that's a spot of bother too.  Hopefully I'll be able to update soon when and where to the flights will be.