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Top 5 US Cities for Cheap Flights

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    If you’re looking for a great deal on your next getaway, you may have better luck than others if you live in one of these 5 cities!

    Which US Cities Are Most Likely to Have Great Flight Deals?

    Here’s a list of US cities where you’re most likely to find cheap flights!

    Which Are the Best Cities for Low-Cost Flights?

    1.   Washington, DC (Baltimore)

    If you live in the Washington, DC / Baltimore area, you have the best chance at finding a bargain on your next flight!
    Lots of Budget Airlines Fly out of the Washington, DC, – Baltimore Area
    Southwest operates nearly 200 daily flights out of Baltimore, including a recently added non-stop flight to San Jose, Costa Rica.

    Plus, if you have the Companion Pass, you can save even more with amazing 2-for-1 deals.

    You also won’t pay fees if you need to change or cancel your flights later.  And everyone gets 2 free checked bags!

    Additionally, you can find some of the cheapest flights to the Caribbean on airlines like Frontier and Norwegian from the Washington, DC, area.

    Folks in Baltimore Can Buy Cheap Non-Stop Flights to the French Caribbean!

    And with service to Europe on WOW Air, there are lots of low-cost fares.  Like this sale, with $99 one-way fares between Baltimore and Iceland.  I enjoyed flying with them on my trip to Reykjavik.

    Because Norwegian and WOW Air don’t charge more for one-way flights, they can be good options if you want to mix-and-match paid and award flights overseas.

    Spirit also flies to Baltimore.  And Frontier has service in the Washington, DC, area (Dulles and Reagan National airports).

    2.   New York City

    With 3 major airports, there’s a lot of competition.  And that means good deals for travelers!

    The Flight Deal often posts sale fares from New York’s airports.  And you can find great deals from New York to Europe in coach on airlines like United Airlines, Delta, American Airlines, Air Berlin, and more!

    You can often book cheap fares using Chase Ultimate Rewards or Citi ThankYou points too.  This gives you another option for Big Travel with Small Money!

    JetBlue Has Great Deals From New York to Tropical Destinations in the Caribbean and Beyond

    Also, did you know New York (JFK) is JetBlue’s busiest airport?  JetBlue has frequent flash sales with cheap one-way flights to spots like the Caribbean.  And folks living in or near the Big Apple can save even more with the JetBlue credit cards!

    Plus, JetBlue’s Business Class flights are usually cheap compared to Business Class on other airlines.  Or better yet, you can pay for a JetBlue Business Class ticket with AMEX Membership Rewards points earned from the AMEX Business Platinum card, and get half your points back!

    And from New York (JFK), you can also get good deals on Norwegian Airlines flights to Martinique, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and more! Southwest serves both New York – LaGuardia and Newark airports, too!

    And Frontier and Spirit fly from New York (LaGuardia), if you’re looking for ultra low-budget options.

    3.   Chicago

    You’ll also save money on flights if you live in Chicago.  Because Chicago has the most daily and non-stop Southwest flights to most major US cities, Cancun, Montego Bay, and more!

    I love Southwest because of their generous cancellation policy.  And I consider the Southwest Companion Pass one of the best deals in travel.

    With the Companion Pass, you can save ~50% off the retail cost of any Southwest paid or award flight!

    Chicago Has the Most Southwest Flights. And With the Southwest Companion Pass a Friend or Loved One Can Fly With You for (Almost) Free for ~2 Years!
    Plus, Frontier has added more flights from Chicago.  And although they charge extra fees for checked bags, carry-on bags that go in the overhead bin, and more, you can still get great deals if you can pack light! The same goes for Spirit.  Watch out for their fees!

    And if you’re looking for cheap award tickets to Europe, consider using your British Airways Avios points to fly to Dublin on Aer Lingus.  You’ll pay fewer points in the off-season!

    4.   Boston

    Folks living in Boston have lots of cheap flight options, especially on tickets to Europe! Both WOW Air and Norwegian offer low-cost service to Iceland, the UK, and beyond.  You can find great deals when tickets go on sale!  Just remember to watch out for extra fees, especially if you pack a lot.  You can also fly non-stop to the French Caribbean on Norwegian (Guadeloupe or Martinique) on Norwegian.  I’ve seen fares as low as $49 one-way!

    Plus, JetBlue has Business Class flights out of Boston that often cost less than Business Class tickets with other airlines.  And if you have the AMEX Business Platinum card, you can get 50% of your points back when using Pay With Points through the AMEX travel portal.

    If you’re booking with miles or points, remember the cheapest way to fly to Europe is from these 6 cities (including Boston!) to Dublin on Aer Lingus using British Airways Avios points.  You’ll pay just 13,000 British Airways Avios points one-way in coach during the off-season!
    Boston to Dublin Using British Airways Avios Points on Aer Lingus Is a Great Deal. And Dublin Is a Great Starting Point for More European Adventures!

    So you could fly one-way on a paid ticket.  And return on an award ticket for cheap from Dublin to Boston.

    If you’re looking for cheap flights within the US, Southwest and Spirit also fly from Boston.

    5.   Fort Lauderdale

    Fort Lauderdale’s airport isn’t as busy as the others on this list, but you can find a lot of great deals departing from here.

    JetBlue flies from Fort Lauderdale to destinations in the US, and spots in the Caribbean and Central America like Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Cuba.  And they offer sale fares frequently!

    They also plan to add Business Class routes from Fort Lauderdale to spots like Los Angeles and San Francisco.

    You Can Fly to Cuba From Fort Lauderdale on JetBlue, Southwest, and Spirit!

    Plus, Southwest and Spirit fly from Fort Lauderdale to ~40 different US and international destinations each.  Which gives you more options for cheap tickets!

    Use the Right Card to Pay

    Along with saving money by flying with a budget airline, don’t forget to earn bonus miles or points by paying with the right credit card!

    Note:  Allegiant charges up to $8 each way if you pay with a credit card.  So you may want to pay with a debit card.  But you’ll forfeit trip delay insurance and baggage protection you get with certain credit cards.

    Bottom Line

    If you happen to live in the Baltimore area, you’re lucky to have great options for cheap flights!  And folks in New York, Chicago, Boston, and Fort Lauderdale do, too.

    All 3 no-frills low-cost carriers (Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit) fly from Baltimore and Washington, DC.  And there are also lots of departing flights on Southwest!

    Plus you can get to Europe and the Caribbean cheaply on Norwegian and WOW Air.

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)