San Diego from Minneapolis, 16 – 18 Oct: £951 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- £30 per person below the typical fare on this route
- Samesun Ocean Beach Hotel & Hostel, rated 9 by 1,716 guests
- Free cancellation at Samesun Ocean Beach Hotel & Hostel
The catch: Not nonstop: a stop on the way, 11h 8m in all.
Worth it if you want sun, sand and a pool; skip it if you want a city to walk.
Round-trip flights from Minneapolis to San Diego were $510 per person, or $1,020 for two, for Oct 16–18, 2026 (2 nights) when we checked. It's Frontier with 1 stop, not nonstop, and the forecast is clear with highs of 85–90°F. The best-value stay, Samesun Ocean Beach Hotel & Hostel, is $242 for both nights.
The total, before you go
£951 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £769 |
| Samesun Ocean Beach Hotel & Hostel, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | £182 |
| The total, before you go | £951 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £181 |
£30 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £45 each way per bag on Frontier, £181 for two return); a resort fee, if the hotel has one, is collected at the desk. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
£384 per person, return
£769 for two, taxes and fees included · Frontier · 1 stop · 11h 8m
Out Fri, Oct 16, 7:00 AM – Fri, Oct 16, 4:08 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier | £384 | 1 stop | 11h 8m |
| Frontier | £509 | 2 stops | 27h 18m |
| Frontier | £384 | 1 stop | 9h 39m |
Prices checked 13 Oct 2026, 21:22 GMT-5. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
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Why now
At $510 per person round trip, all-in when we checked, this fare is $40 below the typical fare on this route. That typical fare is $550, so this one is about 7% under. We saw 12 offers for these dates, from $510 up to $813 per person, and this one was at the low end. Mid-October is still warm in San Diego: the forecast shows clear skies for the whole trip, a high of 90°F on Oct 16 easing to 85°F by Oct 18, lows of 76–78°F and rain chances of 4% or less. That's beach weather for a long weekend, with the zoo, Balboa Park and fish tacos close by. Our sample budget for two comes to $1,782, covering flights, the hostel and $520 to spend. Prices move, so take this as what we found, not a promise.
The kind of trip this is
This is a warm-weather beach-and-city getaway: mornings on the sand, afternoons at the zoo or out on the water, evenings over tacos and craft beer. It suits a couple or a pair of friends who don't mind an early flight and a full schedule. With 2 nights the pace is quick, so pick one area as your base and keep the driving short.
Weather in San Diego, 16 – 18 Oct
Highs 85–90°F, little rain expected
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 16 Oct | 90 °F | 78 °F | 0% |
| Sat 17 Oct | 86 °F | 77 °F | 4% |
| Sun 18 Oct | 85 °F | 76 °F | 0% |
Where to stay in San Diego
Samesun Ocean Beach Hotel & Hostel is the best value at $242 for the stay ($121 a night). It scores 9 from 1,716 reviews and comes with breakfast and free cancellation. Heads-up: that price is for 2 beds in an 8-bed dorm. Kasa Little Italy San Diego is the top rated at 9.3 from 219 reviews: a queen studio with self check-in for $1,134 ($567 a night), room only and not free to cancel. The budget private pick downtown, listed as the Spacious Guest Suite, is an apartment at $427 ($214 a night), with a score of 7.4 from 60 reviews, room only. Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown puts nightlife, Petco Park and the waterfront within walking distance. Mission Beach / Pacific Beach is the area for the boardwalk and surf.
Samesun Ocean Beach Hotel & Hostel
£182 for 2 nights, two guests · £91 a night
See roomsKasa Little Italy San Diego
£855 for 2 nights, two guests · £427 a night
See roomsSpacious Guest Suite Amazing Location
£322 for 2 nights, two guests · £161 a night
See roomsAll hotels in San Diego for these dates
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Where in San Diego
- Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown: Nightlife, Petco Park and the waterfront on foot.
- La Jolla: Coves, sea lions and upscale village hotels.
- Coronado: Wide beach and the landmark Hotel del Coronado.
- Mission Beach / Pacific Beach: Boardwalk, surf and a young bar scene.
- Mission Valley: Chain hotels with easy freeway access to the zoo and parks.
What to do in San Diego
- Spend a morning at the San Diego Zoo, then walk over to the Balboa Park museums
- Kayak the sea caves at La Jolla while the water is calm
- Swim at Coronado Beach right beside the Hotel del Coronado
- Tour the USS Midway aircraft carrier on the downtown waterfront
- Eat fish tacos and drink craft beer in North Park
- Watch the sunset at Sunset Cliffs on your last evening
Also worth it
- Visit the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park museums
Tours and tickets in San Diego
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Minneapolis | Minneapolis-Saint Paul International (MSP) |
|---|---|
| Airports in San Diego | San Diego International (SAN) |
| Flight time | 11h 8m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 1,531 miles each way |
| Time difference | -2 hours |
What 2 nights in San Diego costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £769 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Samesun Ocean Beach Hotel & Hostel) | £182 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | £392 |
| Total for two | £1,343 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for an upscale destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: Minneapolis to San Diego
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £384 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £299 (12 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £415 |
| Price checks | 10 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travellers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for San Diego.
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- No passport needed, and you'll pay in US dollars.
- San Diego is 2 hours behind Minneapolis.
- The outbound Frontier flight leaves MSP at 7:00 AM and lands at SAN at 4:08 PM, 11h 8m with 1 stop.
- Fares and hotel prices are all-in, taxes and fees included, as found when we checked. They can change.
- Only Samesun Ocean Beach Hotel & Hostel offers free cancellation. The other stays don't.
Questions readers ask
How much is the flight?
$510 per person round trip on Frontier, or $1,020 for two, all-in when we checked. That's $40 below the typical fare of $550 on this route.
Is it a nonstop flight?
No. The $510 fare has 1 stop. The early option leaves at 7:00 AM and lands at 4:08 PM (11h 8m). A later one leaves at 12:10 PM and lands at 7:49 PM (9h 39m).
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip, so you won't need a passport, and you'll pay in US dollars.
What is the weather like?
The forecast is clear all weekend. Highs are 90°F on Oct 16, 86°F on Oct 17 and 85°F on Oct 18, with lows of 76–78°F and rain chances of 4% or less.
Is 2 nights enough?
For a beach-and-food weekend, yes, if you keep it simple. Pick the zoo or La Jolla for one day and the beach plus Sunset Cliffs for the other. Our sample budget for two is $1,782, including $520 to spend.
Can I cancel the hotel?
Samesun Ocean Beach Hotel & Hostel ($242 for the stay) has free cancellation. Kasa Little Italy San Diego ($1,134) and the downtown apartment ($427) don't.
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All trips from Minneapolis · San Diego from every city · Prices on this route · Trips in October 2026 · Home
San Diego in pictures
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
Image credits
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