Key Takeaways

  • Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is the primary gateway for budget airlines serving Saint Paul, with multiple low‑cost carriers offering nonstop flights to popular U.S. and vacation destinations.
  • Sun Country, Southwest, Frontier, and Spirit each bring distinct strengths—from generous baggage policies to ultra‑low base fares—so matching the airline to your travel style can maximize savings.
  • Being flexible with dates, booking early, and understanding ancillary fees are the most effective ways to lock in the lowest possible fare.
  • Public transit, off‑airport parking deals, and well‑located budget hotels make it easy to keep ground expenses in check while exploring the Twin Cities.

Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport: The Gateway for Budget Flyers

All budget airline flights serving Saint Paul operate out of Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP). Located roughly 10 miles from downtown Saint Paul, MSP is one of the busiest airports in the Upper Midwest and a well‑established hub for low‑cost air travel. The airport handles roughly 17 commercial passenger airlines, and while legacy carriers like Delta dominate the schedule, a diverse mix of budget operators gives travelers plenty of affordable choices.

MSP is split into two terminals. Terminal 1 houses most of the major airlines, including Delta and several low‑cost carriers that use its modern concourses. Terminal 2, often referred to as the Humphrey Terminal, is home to Sun Country Airlines and a handful of other budget operators. The two terminals are connected by a free light‑rail shuttle, so switching between them—or accessing public transit to downtown Minneapolis or Saint Paul—adds no cost to your journey.

The airport supports a robust collection of nonstop routes, many of them flown multiple times a week. You can find budget flights to leisure hot spots such as Las Vegas, Denver, Phoenix, Orlando, Fort Myers, and Tampa, along with seasonal service to Cancún and other Mexican beach destinations. Because MSP is a large, well‑connected airport, even when a low‑fare airline doesn't serve your final destination directly, you can often build an affordable connecting itinerary by combining a cheap flight to a nearby hub with a short hop on a different carrier.

Top Budget Airlines at MSP

Understanding the personality of each carrier makes it much easier to choose the one that aligns with your priorities—whether that’s the absolute lowest sticker price, the most forgiving baggage rules, or the widest selection of direct flight times.

Sun Country Airlines

Sun Country Airlines is the home‑grown budget carrier many Twin Cities residents swear by. Based in Minnesota, Sun Country operates a growing network of more than 50 nonstop routes across the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Its business model is straightforward: offer low base fares, charge à la carte for extras, and focus heavily on warm‑weather getaways and seasonal charters.

Sun Country’s economy seats are designed with efficiency in mind—expect standard legroom and slimline seats—but many aircraft offer in‑seat power and streaming entertainment for a small fee. Checked bag fees are competitive with other budget carriers, and the airline regularly runs fare sales that slash already low prices. If you travel light (personal item only) and don’t care about advance seat assignments, you can often fly round‑trip to destinations like Cancún or Las Vegas for under $200.

The carrier also offers a membership program, Sun Country Rewards, and a co‑branded credit card that can accelerate your earning of miles, though it isn’t essential for snagging cheap tickets. Because Sun Country operates from MSP’s Terminal 2, security lines are often shorter, and the overall experience feels less chaotic than the bigger Terminal 1.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest holds a special place among budget airlines because of its customer‑friendly policies. It flies from MSP to several of its major focus cities, including Denver, Chicago Midway, Phoenix, and Baltimore/Washington, opening up an expansive connecting network across the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean. What sets Southwest apart is its refusal to charge fees for standard checked bags—each passenger gets two free checked suitcases—and the carrier has no change or cancellation penalties. If your plans shift, you receive reusable travel funds for the full value of your ticket.

Southwest doesn’t assign seats; instead, you board in groups based on check‑in time, which can be a plus for families or groups willing to check in exactly 24 hours before departure. Ticket prices are competitive, and frequent “Wanna Get Away” sales push fares even lower. While it rarely posts the absolute cheapest base fare on a given route, the lack of nickel‑and‑diming on bags and changes often makes Southwest the better value once you factor in the whole trip cost. For Saint Paul travelers who value flexibility and hate surprise fees, this airline is hard to beat.

Frontier Airlines

Frontier competes at the ultra‑low‑cost end of the market, advertising jaw‑dropping fares that sometimes dip under $20 one‑way. The airline flies nonstop from MSP to Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Orlando, and several Florida cities, along with seasonal routes to other leisure destinations. The trade‑off is that almost everything beyond the seat itself costs extra: carry‑on bags, checked luggage, advance seat selection, and even a cup of water inflight.

To get genuine value from Frontier, you need to embrace its fee structure. Join the Discount Den subscription program (around $60 per year) to unlock lower fares and gain access to special sales, then pack exclusively in a personal item that fits under the seat. If you can travel with just a backpack and don’t mind a randomly assigned seat, Frontier’s bottom‑line price can be unbeatable. Families who need to bring bags should run the numbers carefully—once you add luggage and seat assignments, a ticket on Southwest or Sun Country may cost less overall.

Spirit Airlines

Spirit is another ultra‑low‑cost carrier that operates from MSP, serving its Florida and Las Vegas strongholds plus a handful of other vacation hotspots. Like Frontier, Spirit strips the fare down to the absolute minimum and charges separately for everything else, from carry‑on bags to printed boarding passes. Spirit has drawn praise for its newer Airbus fleet and sometimes heavily discounted ticket bundles offered through its $9 Fare Club, which works similarly to Frontier’s Discount Den.

For solo travelers carrying only a small personal item, Spirit can deliver remarkable savings. Keep a close eye on ancillary costs, particularly for baggage: purchasing bags at the time of booking is significantly cheaper than paying at the airport. If you can plan your packing around Spirit’s strict size limits and are willing to tolerate a no‑frills cabin, it can open up extremely cheap access to warm‑weather destinations from Saint Paul.

Delta Air Lines: Not a Budget Airline, But Worth Mentioning

Delta is the dominant carrier at MSP, and while it isn’t a budget airline, it occasionally competes with low‑cost carriers on price—especially during fare wars or slow travel periods. Its extensive domestic and international network, combined with a codeshare partnership with Air France, KLM, and Air Canada, can sometimes yield surprisingly affordable tickets to Europe or Canada when booked well in advance. If you’re hunting for a deal to a destination not served by the budget trio, check Delta’s “Basic Economy” fares; just be aware that these mirror ultra‑low‑cost restrictions with no seat selection and strict baggage rules.

How to Compare Budget Airlines and Their Fees

Sticker price alone can be deceptive. To make a fair comparison, figure out what you’re actually going to bring and which perks matter to you. Use this quick mental checklist:

  • Baggage: Are you checking a bag? Carrying on a roller? Southwest includes both, Sun Country and the ultra‑low‑cost carriers charge extra.
  • Seat selection: Do you need to sit with your travel partner? Some airlines charge for advance seat assignments.
  • Flexibility: Could your plans change? Southwest allows free changes; most others charge steep penalties or make you buy a new ticket.
  • In‑flight amenities: Do you care about having a drink or snack? On Frontier and Spirit, these are purchase‑only.
  • Loyalty perks: If you fly frequently, a co‑branded credit card or membership program like Discount Den or $9 Fare Club can pay for itself quickly.

When comparing prices, always add the cost of your must‑have extras to the base fare before deciding. The airline with the lowest listed price isn’t always the cheapest once you factor in a carry‑on bag and a non‑middle seat.

Best Strategies for Booking Cheap Flights from Saint Paul

When to Book and When to Fly

For departures from MSP, the cheapest months to fly are typically January, February, and early May, when demand drops after the winter holidays and before summer vacation. Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to be the least expensive days to take off, and flights that depart very early in the morning or late at night often carry lower price tags. Booking six to ten weeks in advance usually yields the best balance of price and availability on domestic routes, though last‑minute flash sales from Sun Country and Frontier can occasionally beat that window.

If you’re targeting a warm‑weather escape in peak months like March or December, book even earlier—12 to 16 weeks out—to lock in a reasonable fare before prices spike. Flexibility is your greatest asset: shifting your trip by a single day can sometimes cut the fare by 30% or more.

Using Price Alerts, Flight Calendars, and Search Tools

Set price alerts on platforms like Kayak, Google Flights, and directly on airline websites. These will notify you when fares change on routes you’re watching. Flight calendars are equally powerful because they let you visualize the cheapest days to travel in a monthly view. On Google Flights, you can see fare trends and compare nearby airports with a few clicks.

When you spot a deal, move quickly. The best fares on budget airlines from MSP rarely last more than a day or two. If you’re not ready to commit, many carriers now offer short‑term fare holds—Sun Country, for example, lets you pay a small fee to lock in a price for 24 or 48 hours while you finalize plans.

Considering Nearby Airports

While MSP is by far the most convenient airport for Saint Paul residents, it pays to glance at flights departing from smaller regional airports like Rochester (RST) or even St. Cloud (STC) if you’re willing to drive a bit. Occasionally, Allegiant—though no longer serving MSP—operates out of these smaller fields and runs ultra‑cheap flights to vacation spots. Factor gas, parking, and time into the equation; the savings on the airfare must outweigh the cost and hassle of the extra drive.

Enhancing Your Journey Without Overspending

Packing Light to Avoid Baggage Fees

The single biggest wallet drain on budget airlines is baggage. Southwest is the exception; every other low‑cost carrier at MSP charges for carry‑on and checked luggage. Mastering the art of traveling with only a personal item—a backpack or small duffel that fits under the seat—unlocks the very lowest fares. Check your airline’s exact personal item dimensions before packing, because enforcement varies, and Frontier and Spirit are notoriously strict. Compression packing cubes and a capsule wardrobe can make a long weekend perfectly comfortable out of a single small backpack.

MSP is well‑set‑up for budget travelers. The Metro Transit Blue Line light rail runs between both terminals and downtown Minneapolis, with a connecting bus or transfer to downtown Saint Paul. A one‑way fare costs just a few dollars, and the trains run frequently from early morning until late at night. If you’re driving, off‑airport parking lots offer rates significantly cheaper than on‑site ramps, and most run continuous shuttles to the terminals.

Inside the airport, pack your own snacks and an empty water bottle to fill after security. Food prices at MSP are airport‑typical—meaning high—so a little preparation saves money and keeps you away from pricey concession stands. Free Wi‑Fi is available throughout the terminals, making it easy to download entertainment before you board.

Affordable Stays and Transportation

If your flight departs before sunrise, booking an airport‑adjacent hotel with a free shuttle can ease the stress and eliminate the cost of an airport parking garage. Properties like the Hilton Minneapolis–St. Paul Airport and the Fairfield Inn offer competitive rates, especially when booked a few weeks ahead. For longer trips, compare the cost of a hotel park‑and‑fly package against separate parking; sometimes bundling saves a lot.

Once you’re back on the ground, the Twin Cities’ public transportation system makes it easy to explore without renting a car. The light rail connects directly to the Mall of America, downtown Minneapolis, and dozens of points in between. For day trips, rideshare services are plentiful, though prices surge during major events. If you do rent a car, MSP’s consolidated rental facility keeps all the major companies in one place, and booking early almost always yields the best rate.

Top Affordable Destinations from MSP

The combination of MSP’s extensive route map and the aggressive pricing of its budget carriers opens up a surprising range of cheap getaways. Among the most popular and consistently low‑cost destinations are:

  • Denver, Colorado: A perennial favorite served by Southwest, Frontier, and Sun Country, with fares often under $100 round‑trip. Great for hiking, craft beer, and a vibrant downtown scene.
  • Las Vegas, Nevada: All the budget carriers compete on this route, driving prices down. A long weekend in Vegas can be remarkably cheap when you pair a low fare with a mid‑week hotel deal.
  • Phoenix, Arizona: Perfect for winter escapes, with direct flights on Sun Country, Southwest, and Spirit. February fares can dip into double‑digit territory.
  • Orlando and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida: Gateways to theme parks or Gulf Coast beaches, with multiple nonstop options from MSP and fierce price competition, especially during off‑peak weeks.
  • Cancún, Mexico: Sun Country and occasionally Frontier run nonstop seasonal service to Cancún, with prices that rival domestic flights. The Caribbean becomes surprisingly accessible for Saint Paul budget travelers.

Each of these destinations also offers plenty of low‑cost lodging and dining, so your overall trip cost stays lean. Watch for flash sales that drop fares to these cities below $50 each way a few times a year.

Final Tips for Budget Travelers

Getting the most out of Saint Paul’s budget airline options comes down to a few consistent habits. First, join the free loyalty programs of every carrier you fly—even if you rarely travel, occasional points and member‑only sale access can pay off. Second, check your credit card benefits; some cards offer statement credits for incidental airline fees or include trip cancellation insurance that makes booking riskier ultra‑low‑cost tickets more palatable. Third, always read the fee schedule before you click “purchase” to avoid a nasty surprise at the airport. Finally, when you find a great deal, book it. Low fares from MSP are shared by a large metropolitan population, and the very best prices disappear fast.

By pairing a working knowledge of the carriers, a flexible travel calendar, and a minimalist packing strategy, you can turn Saint Paul’s airport into your launchpad for frequent, affordable adventures—whether you’re chasing sunshine, city lights, or a long weekend away.