Why choose flights from Minneapolis/St. Louis?The reason Paul International Airport is so expensive is because of Delta Air Lines.
The Atlanta-based carrier, which is MSP’s primary carrier and accounts for 70% of seats on its flights, drives up Atlanta’s domestic airfares and charges the airport an average of $456 per day. It pushed it to the third most expensive airline. smart assets Examination of Bureau of Transportation Statistics first quarter data.
Delta Air Lines declined to comment, but it hasn’t been shy about its elite image, especially given recent changes to make its Club and SkyMiles programs more exclusive. Its attractive nonstop flights appeal not only to business travelers willing to pay higher fares for more luxurious seats and other perks, but also to a new class of “premium leisure” travelers.
“If you want to fly nonstop, fly on America’s most trusted airline, have a Delta co-branded credit card, or participate in the Delta SkyMiles program, fly “Delta,” said Henry Harteveld, a travel industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group.
The only airports more expensive than MSP are Anchorage and Washington Dulles, which ranked first and second, respectively. Charlotte and Salt Lake City round out the top five. Las Vegas had the lowest average fare at $270.
MSP offers low-fare competition with Sun Country Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines, but Delta’s MSP hub keeps other major airlines at bay.
“When an airline has a hub, other airlines tend to avoid scheduling as many flights as possible without a hub,” Harteveldt said. “They don’t want to get caught up in a battle for customers with hub airlines.”
National average airfares rose 16% to $382 in the first quarter. Keep in mind, many experts believe that this year’s We had expected demand in the first quarter and prices to rise thereafter. And airlines are absorbing higher prices like other airlines, on top of rising labor costs.
Jude Bricker, CEO of Minneapolis-based Sun Country, plans to increase the leisure airline’s seat capacity by 10% by next year, aiming for less than $100 each way.
His philosophy is that everyone who lives within 90 minutes of MSP Airport and is paying with their own money should go to Sun Country.
“Delta’s position allows us to keep our prices higher than, say, Chicago, where service is less concentrated,” Bricker said.
Another reason for the high prices here is geography.
“Fares tend to be higher in Minneapolis primarily because of the longer flight times in Minneapolis. The farther you fly, the higher the fares are,” Bricker said. “Most leisure travelers want to go to the coast.”
Sun Country’s pricing is based on an algorithm that increases the price if a seat sells quickly and lowers the price if it doesn’t. Bricker’s advice for securing cheaper fares is to book early, travel off-peak or mid-week, and even if you’re shopping as a couple or family, prices may be lower, so choose individual seats. is to look for.
Brian Summers, editor of the Airline Observer newsletter, said MSP travelers are better off than those in many cities like Milwaukee because of Delta Air Lines and Sun Country’s networks. I believe.
“I’m very lucky to be able to fly non-stop anywhere I want to go,” he said.
Meanwhile, Harteveldt said there are signs that demand from leisure travelers is slowing, which could drive down fares.
“Inflation and soaring prices for everyday goods are putting us all on edge,” he said.