The Best and Worst US Airports for Cheap Domestic Flights

At Going, we know cheap flights. It’s kind of our thing. Our team spends hundreds of hours every week searching for flight deals departing from nearly 200 US airports.

In mid-2020, we expanded our service to include domestic flights, and since then we’ve sent thousands more domestic deals to our members with prices as low as $29 roundtrip—and no, that’s not on Spirit. We don’t send any deal that doesn’t meet our standards, which means no brutally long layovers or terrible airlines with lots of extra fees. Our members save an average of $200 (and often a lot more) on each domestic trip.

Of course, we can only send our members the deals available, and some airports simply see more frequent flight deals than others. Factors like the amount of airlines serving the airport and the amount of competition on routes from that airport can affect how frequently deals pop up.

To help members find more deals, we ran the numbers to see which airports offer the most frequent deals on domestic economy class flights—and which major airports offer the least. We looked at commercial airports in metro areas with a population of at least 700,000 people and collected data on how many deals we sent to Going members for cheap domestic flights departing from each airport in the past 12 months.

Here are the results.

The best US airports for cheap domestic flights

If you’re a Premium member and you live near one of the best airports, you probably receive 1–3 domestic economy class deals from us each week. Even if your home airport isn’t in the top ten, it may still be a sweet spot for deals.

Nashville (BNA), Austin (AUS), Charleston (CHS), Newark (EWR), Atlanta (ATL), Raleigh-Durham (RDU), Cincinnati (CVG), and San Diego (SAN) are just a few of the airports where we reliably find a few domestic economy deals per week. Even airports further down the list like Portland (PDX) and Detroit (DTW) generally get at least a deal or two per week on average.

10. Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)

From a travelers perspective, Dallas–Fort Worth kind of has it all. It serves one of the largest metropolitan areas in the US (second-largest in Texas, narrowly behind Houston); it’s the second-busiest airport in the US; and it’s not only the largest hub for American Airlines, it also is an operating base for Frontier and Spirit. Even though we don’t send members deals for flights on Frontier or Spirit, as they’re budget carriers, we still love to see how the two airlines keep prices low for DFW across the board. 

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from DFW:

• Dallas–Fort Worth to Portland for $115 roundtrip
• Dallas–Fort Worth to Vail for $188 roundtrip
• Dallas–Fort Worth to Charleston $164 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Dallas–Fort Worth

9. Orlando (MCO)

While both Orlando and Miami have a respectable volume of international deals flowing through their airports, Orlando International Airport is undoubtedly the place for domestic deals in Florida, with about seven per month. MCO is a hub for Silver Airways, a focus city for JetBlue, and an operating base for Avelo, Frontier, Spirit, and Breeze; it’s also now the main South Florida base for Southwest (formerly Fort Lauderdale). 

(We don’t send out Spirit or Frontier deals, as they’re budget airlines; however, the airlines’ presence helps drive down fares across the board, which bodes well for travelers looking to snag a low-cost ticket across MCO’s 108 nonstop US destinations.)

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from MCO:

• Orlando to Washington, DC, for $103 roundtrip
• Orlando to Philadelphia for $90 roundtrip
• Orlando to Austin for $110 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Orlando

8. Fort Lauderdale (FLL)

Florida is replete with airports offering cheap domestic flights, and while Orlando typically holds the top spot, Fort Lauderdale squeezed ahead when it came to domestic deals over the past year. Both Orlando and Miami see more travelers pass through per year, but FLL is still the 17th-busiest airport in the US by passenger numbers. It’s a hub for Silver Airways and a focus city or operating base for Spirit Airlines, JetBlue, and Allegiant. This healthy competition between airlines helps keep deals frequent, and downward pressure from nearby Miami airport helps even more. 

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from FLL:

• Fort Lauderdale to Chicago for $159 roundtrip
• Fort Lauderdale to Newark for $108 roundtrip
• Fort Lauderdale to Raleigh for $87 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Fort Lauderdale

7. Seattle (SEA)

Seattle is a hub for Delta and Alaska Airlines, and the latter helps keep domestic deals to and from the city a frequent occurrence—particularly to Alaska, Hawaii, and spots around the West Coast and Pacific Northwest. The addition of Paine Field (PAE) helps add additional competition and downward pressure on fares.

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from SEA:

• Seattle to Nashville for $157 roundtrip
• Seattle to Minneapolis for $129 roundtrip
• Seattle to Dallas for $178 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Seattle

6. Houston (IAH)

Dallas is no doubt Texas’s busiest airport, but Houston takes the crown when it comes to the sheer number of cheap domestic flights. As the 15th-busiest airport in the US, IAH is a hub for United Airlines and an operating base for Spirit, and although we don’t send deals for Spirit since it’s a budget airline, it still does a wonderful job of keeping flight prices relatively low.  

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from IAH:

• Houston to New Orleans for $107 roundtrip
• Houston to San Diego for $179 roundtrip
• Houston to New York City for $110 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Houston

5. Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP)

MSP is one of the largest airports in the Midwest and the 18th-busiest airport in the US by passenger numbers. It’s a hub for Delta and Sun Country, the latter of which is known to up its nonstop routes departing from MSP in the summer months, connecting passengers to destinations like Missoula, Oakland, and Upstate New York, in addition to its regular routes. In previous years, Minneapolis–St. Paul didn’t even crack our top-10 list; this year it’s rounding out the top five. If one thing is clear: MSP is making a name for itself as a top airport for cheap flights around the US. 

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from MSP:

• Minneapolis–St. Paul to Pittsburgh for $99 roundtrip
• Minneapolis–St. Paul to Denver for $118 roundtrip
• Minneapolis–St. Paul to Anchorage for $359 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Minneapolis–St. Paul

4. Los Angeles (LAX)

The fifth-busiest airport in the US and one of the busiest in the world, LAX is a hub or focus city for more airlines than any other airport in the US. It’s a hub for Alaska, American, Delta, and United, as well as an operating base for JetBlue, Allegiant, and Southwest. Plus, with other airports nearby (ONT, SNA, BUR, and LGB), all that competition helps drive down deal prices and make fare drops more common.

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from LAX:

• LA to Salt Lake City for $97 roundtrip
• LA to Aspen for $199 roundtrip
• LA to Miami for $178 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Los Angeles

3. San Francisco (SFO)

SFO is the second-busiest airport in California after LAX, the 14th-busiest airport in the US, and the fifth-largest hub for United Airlines. The presence of other Bay Area airports, especially Oakland, which is the operating base for Southwest, helps keep deals frequent.

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from SFO:

• San Francisco to Chicago for $179 roundtrip
• San Francisco to Phoenix for $119 roundtrip
• San Francisco to Jackson Hole for $197 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from San Francisco

2. Chicago O’Hare (ORD)

As the fourth-busiest airport in the US, a major hub for both United Airlines and American Airlines, and an operating base for Frontier Airlines and Spirit, it’s not surprising that Chicago ranks highly on our list. Plus, a little bit of competition from nearby Midway Airport (MDW) doesn’t hurt. While Southwest dominates the game at MDW, it also introduced service out of ORD in the past few years, which continues to put downward pressure on domestic prices and ensure the deals won’t stop anytime soon.

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from ORD:

• Chicago O'Hare to Nashville for $78 roundtrip
• Chicago O'Hare to San Francisco for $163 roundtrip
• Chicago O'Hare to Boston for $136 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Chicago

1. Denver (DEN)

DEN is the third-busiest airport in the US by passenger numbers. It’s a hub for both United Airlines and Frontier Airlines and a base for Southwest Airlines, so you can get just about anywhere in the US with one stop or less. The competition between airlines also helps keep prices low and deals frequent.

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from DEN:

• Denver to Asheville for $155 roundtrip
• Denver to New York City for $163 roundtrip
• Denver to Minneapolis for $117 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Denver

The worst US airports for cheap domestic flights

Members who fly out of the worst airports on our list might only receive 1–2 domestic deals per month—but it doesn’t mean you’re stuck overpaying for domestic flights. 

Beneath each of these airports, we give you the lowdown on how you can score more—and better—domestic economy class flight deals without moving to a new city. Most of the airports have alternate airports within about two hours, so you can greatly increase the number of deals you have access to if you’re willing to drive a bit.

10. McAllen (MFE)

Flights out of McAllen connect nonstop to Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Las Vegas (as well as Mexico City); there are also seasonal flight offerings to Orlando and LA, and a new route to St. Petersburg starts in the summer of 2024. Domestic flights are offered across four airlines: American, Delta, United, and Allegiant. Sitting on the border of northern Mexico, MFE is unfortunately not well-positioned to take advantage of other airports’ offerings. However, if you’re willing to make the commute about 250 miles north to San Antonio (SAT), you could unlock about twice as many flight deals per month.  

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from MFE:

• McAllen to San Diego for $198 roundtrip
• McAllen to Key West for $218 roundtrip
• McAllen to Pittsburgh for $198 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from McAllen

9. Allentown (ABE)

Allentown is only connected to about a dozen US destinations with nonstop flights, primarily in the South, Midwest, and East (plus Denver). Competition from airlines is equally sparse, as ABE is only served by Allegiant, American, Delta, and United. Traveling anywhere else and you can expect a connection. Luckily, Allentown sits just 75 miles from Newark (EWR) and Philadelphia (PHL); each sees about three to five times more deals than you’d get out of Allentown itself. 

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from ABE:

• Allentown to Chattanooga for $197 roundtrip
• Allentown to Kansas City for $194 roundtrip
• Allentown to New Orleans for $189 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Allentown

8. New Haven (HVN) 

New Haven is only served by Avelo Airlines—honestly, it’s a wonder we see as many cheap flights as we do from HVN, at 1–2 deals per month. You can fly nonstop to more than 25 destinations but only as far west as Houston. For most people looking for more choices on airlines and destinations, it’s going to be well worth the 1.5–2 hour commute from New Haven to New York City’s JFK or LGA, both of which see about three to four times more deals per month. 

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from HVN:

• New Haven to Daytona Beach for $166 roundtrip
• New Haven to Chicago for $153 roundtrip
• New Haven to Raleigh for $132 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from New Haven

7. Birmingham (BHM)

Alabama’s BHM airport offers flights to just 18 US cities (mostly in the South and East, plus Denver, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Detroit) on American, Delta, Southwest, and United. Without as much competition, deals aren’t as frequent, averaging 1–2 per month. For more and better deals, it may be worth the two hour drive to Atlanta.

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from BHM:

• Birmingham to Charlottesville for $198 roundtrip
• Birmingham to Burlington for $195 roundtrip
• Birmingham to Idaho Falls for $264 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Birmingham

6. Columbia (CAE)

CAE is only served by American, Delta, and United, with direct flights to only 10 domestic destinations, including Dallas, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, New York City, and DC. That lack of competition among routes and airlines means deals just don’t pop up very often. We find about one domestic deal per month for members. Charlotte and Charleston, each about two hours away, both see a lot more deals in comparison, which can make the drive worth it, especially for a long-haul flight.

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from CAE:

• Columbia to Portland, Maine, for $197 roundtrip
• Columbia to Austin for $195 roundtrip
• Columbia to Memphis for $198 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Columbia

5. Long Island (ISP)

Long Island serves 16 US destinations (primarily on the East Coast, with the exception of New Orleans) on Breeze, Frontier, and Southwest. What ISP also has going for it are cheap fares to larger hubs, like Atlanta (ATL), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Orlando (MCO), and Raleigh–Durham (RDU). Not to mention, it’s located less than an hour from New York City’s JFK and LGA airports, as well as less than two hours from Newark (EWR)—all of which open a world of cheap flight possibilities. 

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from ISP:

• Long Island to Charleston for $181 roundtrip
• Long Island to Raleigh for $141 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Long Island

4. Manchester–Boston (MHT)

While Manchester–Boston isn’t a hub—or even a focus city—for any major airlines, it is served by a number of them: American, Avelo, Breeze, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country, and United all have flights to about a dozen total destinations throughout the US (some offered seasonally). Destinations are primarily on the East Coast, but certain airlines do run service between Chicago and Minneapolis. Sadly, we only find about one deal per month from Manchester–Boston; luckily, Boston Logan is located less than an hour away and sees about five times the number of deals that MHT does, so for most, it’ll be worth the drive. 

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from MHT:

• Manchester–Boston to Chicago for $179 roundtrip
• Manchester–Boston to Raleigh for $140 roundtrip
• Manchester–Boston to Sarasota for $200 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Manchester–Boston

3. Panama City (ECP)

Panama City offers direct flights to destinations in the mid-Atlantic, South, and Midwest. If you want to go any farther west than Denver, you’ll have at least one connection. To score more deals, consider flying out of Tallahassee (TLH) or Pensacola (PNS), which are each about two hours away. Alternatively, if you’re looking to travel across the country, it may be worth it to book a small hop to Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, or even Atlanta, and then book your cross-country flight from there.

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from ECP:

• Panama City to Columbus for $195 roundtrip
• Panama City to Minneapolis for $196 roundtrip
• Panama City to Charleston for $198 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Panama City

2. Little Rock (LIT)

Little Rock is the busiest airport in Arkansas and has flights to about 15 destinations in most corners of the country (though service to the Pacific Northwest and northern states is virtually nonexistent). Allegiant, American, Delta, Southwest, United, and Frontier fly from here, but the competition is not always enough to keep prices low. 

Unfortunately, LIT is a small fish in a big pond in that there are few nearby airports from which you may be able to find better (or more) deals. Your best bet for getting to the farther reaches of the states is by snagging a cheap flight to a larger hub—such as Denver, Houston, or Chicago—which see 7–9 times more deals. 

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from LIT:

• Little Rock to Nantucket for $192 roundtrip
• Little Rock to Houston for $188 roundtrip
• Little Rock to Miami for $196 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Little Rock

1. Provo (PVU)

Provo airport is Utah’s second-busiest and an operating base for Allegiant and Breeze (American also operates flights to and from Provo). While flights to and from the college town have grown exponentially in the past five years, Provo is still only connected to about a dozen other domestic cities with nonstop flights. 

Luckily, the Salt Lake City airport sits less than an hour to the north and sees about five times as many deals per month as Provo, so it may be worth your while to make the short drive if you want to snag a better deal. 

Actual deals we've flagged for Going members from PVU:

• Provo to Dallas for $136 roundtrip
• Provo to San Francisco for $78 roundtrip
• Provo to Phoenix for $161 roundtrip

>> See cheap flights from Provo

Methodology

To reach our conclusions on the best and worst airports, we first determined our list of airports. We only looked at airports that serve metro areas of more than 700,000 people and the 180+ US airports we serve at Going.

Once we had our list of airports, we tallied up the total number of deal emails we sent to members departing from those airports between May 22, 2023, and May 22, 2024. The airports that received the highest number of deals per year were deemed to be the best airports for cheap international flights. And the airports that received the lowest number of deals were deemed to be the worst airports for cheap international flights.

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