Thursday, Twin Cities.
Three trips to Europe this week, all well below what Google says these routes usually cost: Iceland and Rome in two weeks, Dublin in April. Plus five warm-weather quick hits. Everything checked Wednesday afternoon.
🇮🇸 MSP → Reykjavík (KEF) — $492 round-trip, November
Fri Nov 13 – Thu Nov 19 · United, 1 stop (Chicago) · 9 hrs 25 min
Six nights in Iceland, leaving in two weeks, for under $500.
Google says this trip usually runs $610 to $1,250, and puts this fare $331 cheaper than usual for these dates.
Two weeks ago we sent Icelandair's nonstop for almost the same dates at $546. That nonstop is now $820, so this is the cheaper way in.
Mid-November nights are long, which is what you want if you're going for the northern lights.
The catch: A connection in Chicago instead of the nonstop. Pick the 6:35pm departure with the 1 hr 24 min layover; the other $492 option sits in O'Hare for over four hours.
Book by: Now. It leaves in two weeks.
🇮🇹 MSP → Rome (FCO) — $668 round-trip, November
Fri Nov 13 – Fri Nov 20 · Icelandair, 1 stop (Reykjavík) · 12 hrs 35 min
A week in Rome next month for $668.
Google says Rome in November usually runs $800 to $1,350, and puts this fare $247 cheaper than usual for these dates. The next-cheapest option is $1,274 on Delta.
Last week's Rome fare was for April. This one is for people who don't want to wait.
Icelandair lets you stop over in Iceland for up to seven days on the way to Europe at no extra airfare, so this can be Iceland and Rome on one ticket.
The catch: One stop and about 12½ hours on the way there.
Book by: This week.
🇮🇪 MSP → Dublin (DUB) — $497 round-trip, April
Mon Apr 12 – Mon Apr 19, 2027 · Icelandair, 1 stop (Reykjavík) · 9 hrs 35 min
A spring week in Ireland for under $500.
Google says Dublin in April usually runs $570 to $900, and rates this fare low. Delta's nonstop on the same dates is $955.
The catch: A short 55-minute connection in Reykjavík on the way out, and it's six months away.
Book by: This week.
Quick hits
Closer to home, soonest first. All checked live Wednesday; Google rates every one of these low for its dates.
New Orleans — $187 · Mon Nov 23 – Wed Dec 2 · Sun Country, nonstop · Thanksgiving week; the next-cheapest option is $201 with a stop. Search →
Atlanta — $88 · Fri Dec 4 – Thu Dec 10 · Frontier, nonstop · Delta's nonstop is $179. Search →
Nashville — $163 · Sat Dec 5 – Sat Dec 12 · Southwest or Delta, nonstop · Google shows a carry-on included with both. Search →
Orlando — $127 · Thu Jan 7 – Sat Jan 16, 2027 · Frontier, nonstop · Sun Country's nonstop is $298. Search →
Phoenix — $128 · Sat Feb 13 – Sat Feb 20, 2027 · Frontier, nonstop · $76 cheaper than usual; Southwest's nonstop is $227. Search →
Most of these are budget fares, so check what bags are included before you book.
Passed on this week: Dublin in December ($492 with a stop, or $566 nonstop on Delta, which Google calls typical for December), Tokyo in January ($826 with a stop, typical), Lisbon, Athens and Barcelona in winter ($762–841, all typical), Cancún in November ($435, typical) and Miami in late January (Google's map had $159, but it's $229 now).
Back Tuesday with weekend escapes.
If you book Iceland, reply and tell us if you saw the lights.
— MSP Departure
P.S. Know someone in the Twin Cities who's been talking about Europe? Forward this. Three referrals gets you the MSP Travel Cheat Sheet.