Minneapolis-St. Paul to Seattle-Tacoma
1395 miles great-circle distance, typically flown in 3h 12m with 6 airlines operating direct service from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Seattle-Tacoma (SEA). Cheapest fares are usually in January (around $169 return), with peak prices in August (around $507). Departures on a Tuesday tend to undercut weekend prices on this corridor.
Flying from Minneapolis-St. Paul
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International is Delta Air Lines' second-largest hub and the principal upper-Midwest gateway. Two terminals — Lindbergh (T1) and Humphrey (T2) — connect via shuttle, with METRO Blue Line light rail running from T1 directly to downtown Minneapolis in 25 minutes and to the Mall of America in 13 minutes for $2.50. Sun Country Airlines has its main base here. International long-haul reaches Amsterdam, Paris, Reykjavík and Dublin daily.
Arriving in Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma is 14 miles south of downtown Seattle, with the Link Light Rail Red Line running directly from the airport station to Westlake in 38 minutes for $3.25 — possibly the simplest big-city airport transfer in the United States. Fares peak in mid-summer (June–August) and around Bumbershoot/Labor Day; January and February are the cheapest months despite winter rain.
Who flies MSP to SEA?
| Airline | IATA | Flight time | Cabin |
| Delta Air Lines | DL | 3h 12m | Economy |
| Sun Country Airlines | SY | 3h 12m | Economy |
| Southwest Airlines | WN | 3h 12m | Economy |
| Spirit Airlines | NK | 3h 12m | Economy |
| American Airlines | AA | 3h 12m | Economy |
| United Airlines | UA | 3h 12m | Economy |
6 carriers fly direct on this corridor. Frequencies vary by season — summer and winter holiday peaks see additional flights.
Best time to fly MSP→SEA
Synthesised from 12-month price aggregates. Cheapest months in green, peak in red.
Estimated baseline. Prices update on a 30-day cadence as Travelpayouts data refreshes. Cheapest day-of-week typically Tuesday.
Minneapolis to Seattle FAQs
Direct flights from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) take approximately 3h 12m for the 1395-mile journey, plus 30–60 minutes of taxi, climb and descent. Total airport-to-airport time depends on cruise winds and air-traffic queueing on approach.
January is typically the cheapest month on this route, with one-way fares from $169. August is the peak — expect prices 2–3× higher. Book 4–8 weeks ahead for best fares; last-minute prices on this corridor rise sharply inside two weeks of departure.
6 carriers operate direct service from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Seattle-Tacoma (SEA): Delta Air Lines, Sun Country Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, American Airlines and 1 more. Frequencies vary by season and carrier — Delta Air Lines typically operates the highest weekly count on this corridor.
No — United States is domestic travel for US citizens. A US passport is not required for the 50 states, DC or US territories (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands), though Real ID-compliant ID is required at TSA from May 2025.
Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) is the primary international airport for Seattle. Allow 30–60 minutes for the ground transfer by train, express bus, taxi or rideshare depending on traffic and time of day. See the airport's official website for current train and shuttle timetables.