Getting away for MEA? Last-minute flight options for the long weekend

For generations of Minnesota school families, it’s a fall tradition baked into the calendar: MEA weekend, a four-day break that’s sparked by the annual Education Minnesota teachers conference. This year, it kicks off on Oct. 16.

That translates to a busy travel weekend. Last year’s MEA Thursday was the second busiest day in the history of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, with some 52,660 people clearing security.

If you’re thinking about flying the family somewhere, don’t delay in booking. Airfares are high throughout mid-October. On a search of Google Flights, we did find a handful of top U.S. destinations with nonstop flights from MSP for under $300.

But hurry — these fares are subject to change at any second. To maximize your savings, go ahead and spring for the airline’s nonchangeable Basic fare, if available, and pack light.

Note that Saturday, Oct. 18, is the date set for hundreds of anti-Donald Trump “No Kings” protests around the country, including main events in Chicago, Washington and New York City — so plan accordingly.

The flight: $148, Oct. 16-20; or $258, Oct. 15-19 (Sun Country).

Via train: $179 round trip, Oct. 16-18 on the Amtrak Borealis (amtrak.com).

The flight: $188, Oct. 16-19 (Delta).

Skip the 8-hour drive to Mackinac with this 90-minute flight to Michigan’s Chippewa County Airport (code: CIU) aboard a small regional jet. From there it’s a shuttle and ferry to Mackinac Island, the classic car-free vacation destination in Lake Huron that’s anchored by the massive 1887 Grand Hotel. Meanwhile on the Upper Peninsula, visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Paradise, Mich., to see the bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank in Lake Superior 50 years ago.

The flight: $278, Oct. 16-19 (Alaska, Delta and Sun Country).

October may be the best time of year to visit the Emerald City, with mild temps and peak fall color. Stroll the Pike Place Market, check out the ambitious Museum of Pop Culture, or search for the 268-foot Snoqualmie Falls seen in the original “Twin Peaks.” The Gopher women’s volleyball team meets the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Arena Oct 18. This Google-sourced airfare requires a Sun Country red-eye to get home on Sunday night — so maybe take Monday off, too.

The flight: $213 (Delta) or $228 (Sun Country), Oct. 17-20.