It takes more art than science to find a fantastic flight deal: There isn’t just one method or “hack,” and this also applies to locating inexpensive flights departing from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP). But trust us when we say that you can master the art of locating inexpensive flights from MSP.
Being a Minnesota-based business, we pride ourselves on being the best at locating airline discounts departing from Minneapolis. Every day, we spend all day looking for the best airfare from our hometown (and 170 more). Now, as tourists from Minneapolis consider traveling once more in 2022 and beyond, we’ve gathered all the greatest resources, tactics, advice, and techniques. Furthermore, as the demand for travel soars, airfare is rising, making these suggestions more crucial than ever.
Use this as a reference to locate inexpensive flights from MSP whenever you’re ready to start exploring the world on a smaller budget.
An Introduction to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) Airport Based on federal data, Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) International Airport is the second-largest airport in the Midwest, after Chicago-O’Hare (ORD). It’s a crucial nexus for everyone in the area, not just those visiting Minnesota.
From Minneapolis, almost twenty airlines operate nonstop flights throughout the United States, as well as to Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, and even Asia. There are two terminals at the airport, each with a very distinct function.
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Terminal 1
The largest terminal at Minneapolis, Terminal 1, is commonly referred to as the facility’s “main” terminal. Along with a few low-cost flights, it is home to some of the biggest airlines in the nation.
- Air Canada
- Air Choice One
- Air France
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Boutique Air
- Delta Air Lines
- Denver Air Connection
- KLM
- Spirit Airlines
- United Airlines
The largest airline in Minneapolis is Delta. and it’s not even close—more than 70% of travelers arriving and departing the airport are carried by Delta. It’s a major hub and one of Delta’s biggest.
And for tourists looking for deals, that has advantages and disadvantages. Positively, whether you’re traveling nationally or overseas, there are a ton of nonstop Delta flights leaving from Minneapolis. However, Delta can afford to charge more for flights since it has a monopoly-like position at the airport, and it frequently does. Due to high demand from both regular vacationers and business travelers, Delta can charge more than its rivals.
Terminal 2
Even though Terminal 2 is much smaller than Terminal 1, it might still be rather effective if you’re on a low budget. While Terminal 1 is home to a few low-cost flights, many of the country’s largest low-cost carriers are based in Terminal 2.
- Allegiant
- Condor
- Frontier
- Icelandair
- JetBlue
- Southwest
- Sun Country
If Terminal 1 in Minneapolis is ruled by Delta, then Terminal 2 is unquestionably ruled by Sun Country.
As an ultra-low-cost airline that competes with Spirit and Frontier, Sun Country, a longstanding hometown airline in Minnesota, offers inexpensive fares, exorbitant taxes, and inadequate service. Particularly in the winter, when Minnesotans travel to warmer climates, the airline specializes in transporting passengers to well-liked holiday spots.
The Lowest-Cost Domestic Travel Options from MSP
There’s always a fluctuation in airfare, and Minneapolis is no different. Airline companies come and go. Some launch assaults on the hubs of rival companies and change their tactics to steal new passengers. This implies that the places you can consistently travel to at a low cost will vary. Additionally, the time of year, the date of departure, and the events that are happening in Minneapolis and at your destination, among other considerations, all affect airfare.
However, after searching for the greatest deals on flights from Minneapolis for five years, we have a solid idea of which domestic locations are consistently affordable from Minneapolis. These are still some of the best options if you’re searching for a better deal, even though the prices have increased recently due to the travel industry’s boom.
- Boston (BOS): After JetBlue launched flights between Boston and MSP back in 2018, roundtrip fares under $100 were common. That’s gotten higher lately, but you can still find fares closer to $200 roundtrip.
- Chicago (ORD and MDW): After years of high fares, flying into Chicago for under $150 roundtrip isn’t difficult these days if you time it right.
- Dallas (DFW): For years, you could reliably snag a nonstop fare on American or Delta for around $130 roundtrip – or even under $100 at times. Those prices are higher now, but planning you can still snag a deal for under $200 or so.
- Denver (DEN): Thanks to cutthroat competition with almost every airline flying nonstop between Denver and MSP, a fare for less than $200 should be easy to find unless you’re booking for peak summer.
- Kansas City (MCI): Southwest and Delta continue to battle it out on this route, which puts fares regularly under $150 or so.
- Las Vegas (LAS): Airfare to Las Vegas can fluctuate wildly – especially right now – but we regularly find fares for $150 roundtrip from Minneapolis – and sometimes even under $100.
- Los Angeles (LAX): Thanks to Spirit and Sun Country driving down fares to get to LAX, the normal price of $250 roundtrip or more can easily fall below $200 if you time it right.
- Miami (MIA): American and Delta are always jockeying for domination between their two hubs, leading fares to occasionally tumble down to $150 roundtrip – down from the norm of $250.
MSP’s Lowest International Destinations
Once more, the cost of travel is always fluctuating. Furthermore, you might frequently witness price swings of hundreds of dollars while purchasing tickets for an international trip, although the cost of a domestic ticket can vary by tens of dollars.
It’s the same when departing Minneapolis for overseas travel. Furthermore, flight prices may become even more erratic due to airline flash sales, in which an airline targets a competitor’s hub or hubs with extremely low rates. If you’re hoping to go outside of Minneapolis, there are still a few consistently affordable foreign options.
Our Best Advice for Finding Low-Cost Flights Out of Minneapolis
Begin with a Low-Cost Flight First
Travelers frequently make one major error when planning a trip that ends up costing them hundreds of dollars, regardless of whether they live in Minneapolis or Missoula. They adhere to this script: Select a location, reserve a hotel or rental car, set the dates, and then book a flight.
You ought to invert that instead. Begin by conducting a flight search and use the pricing to guide you to the most affordable dates. Even if it means changing your trip dates by a single day or two to take advantage of a better offer, that flexibility can save you a lot of money. It is known as The Flight First Rule.
Employ Google Flights Instead of Online Travel Companies
There are many search engines available to locate inexpensive flights. Perhaps you have a go-to app like
Hopper, Priceline, Expedia, or Skyscanner. But Google Flights is the best of them all. With an abundance of features, Google Flights is an extremely strong tool for finding the best deal. You can utilize its many filters to focus on the flights you truly want and exclude the ones you don’t. If you use it to locate a great offer, you can book directly with the airline and fly out of MSP.
Need to travel to a specific place on a certain date via plane? Get notified when flight rates decrease by subscribing to Google Flights price alerts! Want to take a cheap flight somewhere but aren’t sure where you want to go? One of our favorite features is the Google Flights Explore map!
Right now, more than ever, it’s crucial to book directly with the airline. The easiest approach to ensure that you may easily amend or cancel your flights if required, is to book directly with the airline, as travel rules are always changing, flights are rescheduled or canceled, and travel plans are always subject to change.
Think About Taking a Different Flight to Get a Better Deal
Without a doubt, you can find a low-cost flight from Minneapolis. However, it’s also undeniable that larger, alternative airports may provide an even better bargain. particularly on extended travels to Europe, Asia, and other continents.
However, how? Make use of positioning flights. It operates as follows: Let’s assume you’d like to visit Bangkok, but the round-trip airfare from Minneapolis seems pricey. Instead of taking the risk, investigate the costs in a few other large cities. Your best option in this situation might be to search the West Coast.
Plan Your Trips Ahead of Time
Unfortunately, there isn’t a perfect time to find a cheap flight from Minneapolis, or from anyplace else for that matter. Furthermore, there isn’t a perfect day to purchase airline tickets. It’s not true what you’ve heard about making reservations on Tuesdays. Furthermore, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and National Cheap Flight Day flight deals are more marketing ploys than actual flights.
When a flight is on sale is the ideal time to book. In actuality, low-cost flights can appear every day of the week, at any time. Indeed, Tuesdays are a good day to locate cheap flights. On a Wednesday, though, you might get a better offer. or on Thursday. or any day throughout the week.
Aim for the Correct Moment, Too
Cheap tickets don’t matter when you purchase them. It matters more when you board the aircraft. This entails booking flights on off-peak days: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are typically the least expensive days to go. You can save hundreds of dollars by simply moving your departure and return dates forward by one or two days.
Avoiding the busiest travel times is also essential. Major holidays in the middle of summer are usually the most expensive times to book flights. The secret to saving more money is to travel in the shoulder seasons, which are mid-April through early June and late August through early October.
Other Cost-Cutting Advice for Traveling from Minneapolis
Your flight doesn’t have to end the savings. Here are a few more easy methods to cut costs on your upcoming flight from Minneapolis.
Simple Ways to Reduce Parking Fees
Airport parking is expensive unless you’re only going for a little vacation. In the parking ramps of Terminal 1, it is $28 per day. However, parking at Terminal 2 is only $21 per day, which is a cheaper daily charge. Simply take the complimentary light rail to Terminal 1 if your flight is departing from there. Also, if you reserve parking in advance through MSP airport, you can save $2 on your daily fees.
Do you want to save even more money? With the Ramp-Ride-Fly program, park in downtown Minneapolis for even less money and take the light rail to the airport! Starting at just $21, a three-day minimum stay is all you have to pay for, and parking is only $5 for each extra day!
Save on Drinks & Food while Using Lounge Access
Airport dining and drinking are also not inexpensive. However, airport lounges offer complimentary food and beverages, providing an opportunity to unwind away from the bustle of the airport before takeoff. Simply by carrying the appropriate credit card, you can get entry to airport lounges in Minneapolis (as well as other cities) that have long been associated with intrepid business travelers. And no card works better than The Platinum Card® from American Express to gain entry to lounges at the Minneapolis airport.
Both of MSP’s Delta Sky Clubs are accessible to Platinum Card holders, and a third will open in 2023. Free beverages, coffee, and snacks are available there. There are two drawbacks: to gain entry, you must be traveling on a Delta flight that day, and adding a passenger would cost an additional $39.
MSP’s Escape Lounge
However, you can also enter MSP’s Escape Lounge and even invite two guests for free. Usually, the Escape Lounge is our absolute favorite place in Minneapolis. There are lots of seating options, lots of power outlets so you can keep charged, and decent food and drink options. It’s virtually always quiet.
Reserve Your Flights for Free or Almost Free!
More favorable than a cheap flight? All that’s needed is a free flight. Using points and miles to book your flights is the best way to travel more for less money if you’re ready to take things a step further. Not sure where to begin? To catch up, read our guide on how to use credit cards, points, and miles.
With credit card points, such as those from the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, there’s no simpler way to take a cheap flight and make it free. Finding a decent offer is all that is required; simply search for it using the Chase travel portal, use your points to book it, and presto—you may go anywhere for free. Additionally, you will accrue mileage on that particular flight!
Any traveler located in Minneapolis would benefit from having a cache of Delta SkyMiles. There are several fantastic ways to use Delta SkyMiles, ranging from periodic flash deals with discounted flights to inexpensive domestic awards starting at just 5,000 SkyMiles each way.
Even if you are a die-hard Delta supporter, you might want to think about accumulating American AAdvantage miles, particularly if you plan to go abroad on reputable carriers like Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, or Qatar Airways.