The price MSP travelers pay for Delta's dominance
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.


Delta raised some eyebrows among savvy travelers this week for charging $699 to fly one-way from Minneapolis/St. Paul International to Atlanta — in basic economy!
Why it matters: It's an extreme example of what Minnesota-based travel analyst Kyle Potter calls the "hub penalty" that travelers pay for Delta's dominance at MSP.
The big picture: MSP benefits from hosting a Delta hub. It's much easier to fly nonstop or internationally. Delta helps fund upgrades that make it North America's top-rated airport, including paying for one-quarter of the recently completed $242 million terminal renovation.
- Even the airport's stellar snow removal record is in part due to Delta's presence, said Potter, who edits the flight news and deals site Thrifty Traveler.
But Delta's near-monopoly at MSP has also meant higher prices.
By the numbers: Since 2019, the average ticket from MSP has generally run about $15-20 above the national average, according to federal data on domestic fares.
- Travelers in Salt Lake City, Atlanta and Detroit — where Delta is also effectively the only game in town — pay similar markups, Potter noted.
The other side: "There are no penalties associated with hub status," a Delta spokesperson wrote to Axios.
Yes, but: Competition reduces fares, Potter said.
- At MSP, Delta has "loyal customers who are willing to pay more to fly their favorite airline — and if they don't have that, they have a captive audience that doesn't have a realistic alternative," Potter told Axios.
Case in point: The $699 MSP-ATL fare, which Potter spotted on Reddit.
- Commenters noted travelers could drive to Fargo, North Dakota, and fly to MSP to catch the same Atlanta connection for less than half the price.
The intrigue: The unusual fare comes in the same month that low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines, which ran the only other regular daily Atlanta flight, pulled out of MSP.
- The same route on Delta cost $330 on average last spring, according to federal data (and $100 on Spirit).
What they're saying: Delta says the airline can't comment on specific fares, but noted "fares are influenced by a variety of factors that help cover operating costs, including supply and demand dynamics, fuel costs and competitive positioning."
Plus: Jeff Lea, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, said MSP has a program that "actively recruits air service from a variety of airline operators" to add new routes and flights.
Between the lines: As recently as two years ago, an ascendant Sun Country Airlines looked poised to challenge Delta at MSP, Potter said.
- Around the same time, Delta lowered basic economy fares on routes where it competed with Sun Country — which Potter interpreted as an unspoken message to the smaller airline: "Look, guys, we can play this game all day, and we are going to defend our turf. It's time to get realistic."
State of play: Sun Country remains important to MSP, but it also isn't currently a threat to Delta's market share, Potter said.
- The Eagan-based airline has recently pivoted to delivering packages for Amazon — and making a profit doing it.
