Delta Air Lines is making adjustments to its flight map, adding five routes but dropping seven. Here in Delta’s hub of Minneapolis St. Paul, we’re bearing the brunt of it: We’re losing four destination airports this fall, but gaining only one.
First, the good news: Delta is adding a new, fourth destination from MSP to the greater New York City area. Beginning Sept. 8, Delta will connect MSP to Westchester County Airport (HPN) in the NYC suburbs.
Given that there is already plenty of sevice from MSP to JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, it’s unclear if flights to the home of Don and Betty Draper will move the needle for Big Apple tourists. But it might help make up for the loss of a separate destination in upstate New York (see below).
Another silver lining to the news: For most, not all, of Delta’s lost cities, there are still other options for getting to the states affected. Here’s a rundown of the four cities Delta is dropping from MSP this fall, and where we can fly instead.
Great Falls, Mont. (ends Sept. 7)
Alternatives: It will soon be harder to get to the Sip ‘n Dip Lounge, the live mermaid bar in Great Falls. On the other side of the Continental Divide, though, Delta is still flying to the Montana towns of Kalispell and Missoula. Sun Country also hits them in the summer.
Fairbanks, Alaska (ends Sept. 7)
Alternative: Delta’s service to the interior Alaskan city was pretty unique. But Delta, Sun Country and Alaska Airlines are still flying daily or seasonally to Anchorage, a six-hour drive to the south.
Buffalo, N.Y. (ends Sept. 7)
Alternatives: With a passport, nearby Toronto (served by Delta and Air Canada) also remains an option for the Niagara Falls region. Delta and Sun Country will also continue summer flights to Syracuse, N.Y., gateway to the Finger Lakes.
Albuquerque, N.M. (ends Nov. 5)
Alternatives: This one hurts. Sun Country still goes there, but only in the summer. If you want to witness Santa Fe’s unique cultural Christmas celebration this year, you’ll need a connecting flight.
