Cheap flights to
Minnesota

While we maintain that there’s no set day of the week when airline tickets drop, there is a time period when you should book your tickets to find the best deal. It’s not too far before your departure date—but also not too close—which is why we call it the Goldilocks Window. For domestic flights, that means booking 1–3 months before a trip. For international trips, the sweet spot is a little longer, about 2–8 months ahead of a trip.

If you plan to travel during peak season, like summer in Minnesota, we recommend planning on the earlier edges of those windows. For a July vacation, you’d be wise to start planning in March if you’re visiting from within the US, for example. While it’s tempting to hold out, trust us when we say waiting for last-minute deals rarely works out, especially during busy seasons. We regularly see fare jumps happen 21, 14, and 7 days before departure dates.

Sometimes, especially during high seasons, flight prices just don’t budge. Before you give up on visiting Minneapolis for the renowned state fair or another summer activity, try our Greek Islands Trick.

If you really want to fly from Charleston to Minneapolis in July, prices could be around $550. Instead, look for flights to Lacrosse, Wisconsin, or even Winnipeg, Canada. Or, look farther away like Chicago or Madison. From those cities, you can rent a car, take a bus, or look for a cheap regional flight. The point of the trick is to get close to your final destination for the cheapest price possible, then find a budget airline flight or other transit option for the last leg. This type of travel planning takes more time, but it could save a couple hundred bucks.

You can also save money by searching for flights from airports that aren’t your home airport. Let’s use Charleston as an example again. If flights are out of your price range, search instead for flights out of Atlanta, Charlotte, or Jacksonville. If you find a great deal, it can sometimes make the road trip and parking worth it. Sometimes, a little extra time and effort can go a long way in saving money on your dream summer vacation.

Summer is the peak travel season in many parts of the world for good reason––kids are on summer break, and warm weather makes for happy vacationers. This is especially true in Minnesota, which only has warm weather for a few months a year, when people flock there to enjoy it on the state’s sparkling lakes and in the gorgeous parks. Unfortunately, more people wanting to visit somewhere in a short period of time means airlines can charge more for flights.

The more flexible you can be with your travel dates, the more likely you are to save on flights. Shoulder seasons are great times to travel—just before and after a destination’s high season. Think May or October in Minnesota. You’ll still get nice (just not hot) weather and have fewer crowds and lower prices. If you are planning to travel during peak season, be sure to look at fares on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, which are typically the cheapest days to fly. Avoid Fridays and Sundays, when people take weekend trips or fly for business, if you can.

One of the easiest ways to save money on flights is to let technology tools take over the work for you. Set up fare alerts for your travel dates––making sure to set a few if your dates are flexible––and you’ll get an email when prices drop. It’s best to do this ahead of the Goldilocks Window so you can see the deals that show up during those months.

Minnesota is well-connected to the rest of the US, with nonstop options from more than 150 cities in 17 countries. Most visitors around the US can reach Minnesota on a nonstop flight. Visitors from Canada, Mexico, and parts of Europe can also usually find a direct flight, while others will have to make one stop.