Skip the Big Hubs and Save Hundreds on Every Flight

Small Airport, Big Savings: Regional Codes Worth Searching For Cheap Flights

Every seasoned traveler knows the major hub codes—LAX, JFK, ORD. But the real savings often hide at smaller airports an hour’s drive from the big hubs. These regional airports offer lower fees, less congestion, and sometimes dramatically cheaper fares from budget carriers that avoid crowded primary airports. Knowing which codes to search can save hundreds per ticket.

Why Secondary Airports Cost Less

Airport economics drive pricing differences:

Landing fees: Large hub airports charge airlines significantly more per landing than regional airports. These costs pass directly to ticket prices. Landing at Oakland (OAK) costs airlines less than San Francisco (SFO), and fares reflect this.

Gate availability: When gates are scarce, airports charge premium rent. Budget carriers flock to airports with available gates at lower rates. Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant built business models around secondary airports.

Fuel costs: Airport-provided fuel varies in price. Some airports have competitive fuel markets; others charge monopoly rates. Carriers factor fuel costs into route profitability.

Congestion: Delays at congested airports cost airlines money—crew overtime, missed connections, passenger compensation. Predictable operations at smaller airports reduce these costs.

Northeast Region Secondary Codes

Stewart International (SWF): 60 miles north of Manhattan in Newburgh, NY. Frontier and JetBlue serve SWF with fares dramatically below JFK/EWR. The Metro-North + shuttle combination works for light travelers. Best for Florida and Caribbean routes.

Providence (PVD): Alternative to Boston Logan. Southwest hub with fares often $100+ below BOS for the same routes. Easy 70-minute drive or commuter rail connection to Boston. Strong domestic network.

Hartford (BDL): Bradley International serves Connecticut and western Massachusetts. Mix of legacy and budget carriers. Often cheapest option for New England residents willing to drive past BOS.

Albany (ALB): Upstate New York alternative. Southwest presence keeps fares competitive. Worth checking for residents of Vermont, western Massachusetts, and northeastern Pennsylvania.

Southeast Region Secondary Codes

Fort Lauderdale (FLL): Major alternative to Miami (MIA). Spirit’s largest hub, JetBlue focus city, and Norwegian/international carrier gateway. Often 30-50% cheaper than MIA for same destinations. Only 30 miles north of Miami.

Orlando Sanford (SFB): Allegiant Air hub, 30 miles northeast of Orlando International. Almost exclusively budget carriers. Not for tight schedules—limited frequencies—but savings justify planning around SFB schedules.

Savannah/Hilton Head (SAV): Regional airport that grew with low-cost carrier entry. Allegiant, Frontier, and Sun Country serve vacation routes. Alternative for coastal Georgia/South Carolina rather than Atlanta.

Charleston (CHS): Growing service from budget carriers makes CHS competitive with Atlanta for South Carolina and coastal North Carolina residents.

Midwest Region Secondary Codes

Milwaukee (MKE): Criminally underrated Chicago alternative. 90 minutes north of downtown Chicago, served by Southwest, Frontier, and Delta. Fares often $150+ below ORD/MDW for identical routes. Easier security, easier parking, easier everything.

Rockford (RFD): Allegiant Air destination 75 miles from Chicago. Extremely limited routes but absurdly cheap fares when your destination aligns. Phoenix, Las Vegas, Florida routes.

Gary/Chicago (GYY): Allegiant flights from Indiana, 30 miles from downtown Chicago. Budget-only but worth checking for Florida destinations.

South Bend (SBN): Indiana option for Chicago-area residents. Allegiant and growing Frontier service. Notre Dame drives some demand, creating year-round service.

Southwest Region Secondary Codes

Oakland (OAK): The original Southwest hub, 20 miles from San Francisco. Spirit, Southwest, and Norwegian serve OAK with fares sometimes 40% below SFO. BART connection to San Francisco makes this viable for tourists too.

Burbank (BUR): Bob Hope Airport is the LAX alternative locals love. Southwest focus city with easy access from Hollywood/Pasadena areas. Skip LAX entirely for domestic flights if BUR serves your route.

Long Beach (LGB): JetBlue focus city 25 miles south of downtown LA. Limited routes but excellent fares and experience when destinations align.

Ontario (ONT): Inland Empire airport growing rapidly. Southwest, Frontier, and JetBlue expand here as LAX congestion worsens. Worth checking for San Bernardino/Riverside residents and anyone willing to drive east to save.

Mesa Gateway (AZA): Phoenix alternative 30 miles southeast of Sky Harbor. Allegiant hub with budget fares to Sun Belt destinations. Low-stress alternative to PHX.

Mountain Region Secondary Codes

Colorado Springs (COS): Denver alternative for Colorado Springs residents and southern Colorado travelers. Frontier, Southwest, and American serve COS. Avoid Denver traffic and airport chaos.

Provo (PVU): Allegiant hub 45 miles south of Salt Lake City. Very limited routes but extreme savings when they work. Frontier expanding service.

Bozeman (BZN): Growing beyond a ski destination into year-round gateway. Allegiant brings budget fares; legacy carriers serve business travelers. Alternative to driving to SLC for Montana and Wyoming residents.

How to Search Multiple Airports

Google Flights: Enter city name (like “Los Angeles”) instead of airport code to see all area airports. Or type “LAX, BUR, SNA, ONT” to search multiple specific codes. The map view shows pricing by destination.

Kayak: “Nearby airports” checkbox automatically includes alternates within a radius you set. Compare mode shows pricing across airports side-by-side.

Skyscanner: “Everywhere” search from different origin airports reveals pricing patterns. Change origin to see which departure airport offers best fares to your destination.

Allegiant/Frontier/Spirit direct: Budget carriers sometimes show better prices on their own sites than through aggregators. Always check carrier sites if you’re flexible on airports.

The True Cost Calculation

Before celebrating savings, calculate real costs:

Transportation: Driving to secondary airports adds gas, tolls, and parking. Parking at secondary airports is often cheaper ($8-12/day vs $25-40 at hubs), which offsets some driving cost.

Time: An hour of extra driving has value. If you’re saving $50 on a ticket but losing two hours, evaluate whether that tradeoff works for you.

Flight times: Budget carriers at secondary airports often fly awkward schedules (6am departures, 11pm arrivals). These affect hotel needs and productivity.

Connections: Hub airports offer better rebooking options when flights cancel. A canceled flight at Rockford might leave you stranded; canceled at O’Hare means walking to another gate.

Frequency: One daily flight means no same-day alternatives. Hub airports offer multiple departures, providing flexibility worth something.

Best Secondary Airport Strategies

Always search alternates: Make multi-airport searches your default. Takes 30 seconds and occasionally reveals massive savings.

Know your region’s winners: Every metro area has one or two alternates that consistently beat hub pricing. Learn yours and check them first.

Match airline to airport: Know which budget carriers dominate which secondary airports. Searching Southwest at an Allegiant hub wastes time.

Consider positioning flights: For international trips, cheap positioning flights to/from hub cities sometimes beat direct routing from secondary airports.

Be flexible: Secondary airport savings require flexibility—in airport choice, schedule, and sometimes dates. Rigid travelers pay hub prices.

Secondary airports represent one of the last genuine travel hacks that doesn’t require points gaming or scheduling acrobatics. Know the codes, search the fares, and pocket the difference.