Cheap flights to Lansing, MI

Lansing overview

It comes as a surprise to many to discover that the capital of the US State of Michigan is not Detroit, but the noticeably smaller, much more laid back and far more fiscally responsible city of Lansing. Located in central Michigan, Lansing became the State Capital in 1848 in response to the British capture of former capital Detroit during the War of 1812. An aesthetically pleasant city, Lansing is home to Michigan State University, one of the “big ten” schools, and also one of the most distinguished public universities in the United States, as well as one of its largest. In a manner befitting that of a state capital, Lansing also boasts a host of museums and historical buildings such as the Michigan Historic Center and Library, the Science Center, a Museum of Women’s History and the Michigan State Capital Building. Lansing is also a pleasingly green city, with several parks and public gardens, as well as more than 100 community garden projects and urban farms. The Historic Lansing City Market is also well worth a visit, especially during the summer months. With plenty of organically farmed produce, handmade clothing and artisan furniture, visitors here are certain to find plenty to catch the eye. There are restaurants to please every palette in this city, and the large Korean community means that you’ll be sure to find some great restaurants serving authentic Korean cuisine.

Getting around Lansing, MI

CATA also operate several bus services across Lansing and taxis are relatively easy to flag down. If you enjoy walking there is a river walk trail along the Grand River and Red Cedar River and the city boasts a large number of bike lanes should you prefer a two-wheeled approach to transportation. If you want to go further afield, there are many frequent connections to Chicago and Detroit.

Getting from the Airport to the City

Visitors arriving at Lansing Capital City Airport (LAN) can take the bus service operated by Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) downtown from the airport. Running seven days a week, from early morning till evening on weekdays and 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekends, the bus service is a cheap and popular way to get downtown. There are also several car rental companies operating out of Lansing airport, should you prefer to make your own way around, and of course, there are always plenty of taxis waiting at the taxi rank.

Lansing, MI airport overview

Lansing Capital City Airport (LAN), also known as Capital Region International Airport, is located 3 miles (5km) northwest of Lansing in the DeWitt Township of Michigan. It’s a tiny facility, with only 257,350 passengers catching flights to Lansing Capital City Airport in 2010.

2006 saw the release of renovation plans for the airport, including the building of a new control tower, terminal building, baggage claims area, car rental and parking facilities – however, construction has yet to start.

This is a small airport with limited facilities, so if you’re here for a while, you’ll probably want to bring something to do. It’s also rated by many passengers as one of the most expensive airports to fly out of in the US. However, in Lansing versus Detroit: 6 Things You Should Know, the airport claims that the additional cost of flying from Detroit rather than from Lansing adds about $250 to the cost of a cheap flight from Detroit.