Minneapolis flights and travel guide

From skyscrapers to state parks, Minneapolis has everything for any traveller. The twin cities – Minneapolis and St. Paul – are home to more than three million people and welcome millions of travellers on Minneapolis flights every year.

Pack light on your flight to Minneapolis; you’ll need the extra suitcase space. Minneapolis is home to the Mall of America, the largest mall in the nation that spans more than ten city blocks. You'll find 500 retail stores, an amusement park, and an aquarium. After a long day of shopping, revive and re-energise at one of the city’s many restaurants and bars.

Art and music lovers won’t want to miss a cheap flight to Minneapolis. The city is the birthplace of the American Regional professional theatre movement, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Guthrie Theater, and the Minnesota Symphony. Even sports fans can find a reason to book flights to Minneapolis. The MLB Minnesota Twins, NBA Minnesota Timberwolves and the NFL Minnesota Vikings are cheered on by Minneapolis residents and visitors. Whether your flight to Minneapolis is for arts, leisure, sports or business, there’s much to do in Minneapolis.

Search and compare: cheap flights to Minneapolis

Back to top

Minneapolis Climate

Back to top

When to Fly to Minneapolis

Peak Season:
Billed as one of the most walkable cities in the US, summer is a great time to take a flight to Minneapolis, in spite of the heat and humidity, because, with the city’s casual dress code and relaxed atmosphere, no one really breaks a sweat. With all the lakes and beaches in and around the city, be sure to bring your bathing suit and sun block.

Autumn brings stunning foliage to enjoy as you stroll along the historic Riverfront District.

Off Season:
Halfway to the North Pole, just south of 45 degrees north latitude, Minneapolis is well known for its harsh and frigid winters. Temperatures can drop as low as -48  degrees Celsius so if you plan a trip during this time, be sure to focus on the many and varied indoor activities unless you're well-prepared for such dangerously low temperatures. Winter-like temperatures can last well into spring in Minneapolis with long stretches of bone-chilling showers.

Search and compare: cheap flights to Minneapolis

Back to top

Getting Downtown Minneapolis

Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
Distance: ten miles south of Minneapolis
Drive time: 15-30 mins

Metro Transit public buses, shared ride shuttles, limousines, rental cars, and taxi cabs are available from the airport.

Buses cost $1 ($2 during rush hour) and taxis take about 30 minutes, charge $17-$25 to either downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul.

By car, take Highway 5 East and follow signs to Highway 55 East which turns into Highway 62 West. Then, follow the signs to I-35W North to the downtown Minneapolis exits. To reach downtown St. Paul, take Highway 5 East to W. 7th St., which leads directly to downtown, or take the North I-35E exit from W. 7th St. to the St. Paul exits.

Back to top

Getting Around Minneapolis

Most attractions in Minneapolis are best reached by car although the downtown area is highly walk-able. Car rental rates in Minneapolis begin at around $25 (£12) a day and $150 (£76) a week which doesn't include tax.

Back to top

Minneapolis Insider Information

• Don’t miss the Minnesota Fringe Festival, an annual 11-day festival of live stage performance and visual arts, including theatre, dance and performance art, puppetry, storytelling and more. In 2005, Fringe played host to 176 different performing arts companies and individual artists in 21 venues staging 902 different performances plus 17 visual artists in five different exhibitions.
• Spring or Autumn are the best times to visit the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, an 11-acre park operated and run by nearby Walker Art Centre, and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.
• Shop ‘til you drop at the Mall of America, in nearby Bloomington, MN, the largest mall in the country, with more than 520 stores, restaurants and bars, an amusement park and a 1.2-million gallon walk-through aquarium. As an added bonus, helping to ease the burden on your wallet, there’s no sales tax on clothing and shoes in Minnesota. Located five minutes from the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and 15 minutes from the downtown areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
• No trip to the American Midwest is complete without time spent at a State Fair. With food, animal exhibits, competitions, midway rides, concerts, and crafts the Great Minnesota Get Together comes alive every year for 12 days in August and September.

Back to top

Minneapolis Airports

Back to top