St. Pete / Clearwater from Detroit, Oct 16–18: $1,240 for two, all in
The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- Highs of 82–86°F, with a 13–16% chance of rain all weekend
- Barefoot Bay Resort Motel: rated 9.4 from 180 reviews, $190 a night
- Land at 11:45 AM Friday, in time for the Pier 60 sunset
The catch: The $430 fare has one stop and takes 5h 15m, no hotel offers free cancellation, and a checked bag is about $240 for two.
Worth it if you can make a 6:30 AM flight and pack light; skip it if you need flexible plans or a nonstop.
Worth it if a one-stop flight works for you: $1,240 for two, which covers Frontier flights at $860 plus 2 nights at Barefoot Bay Resort Motel at $380, with taxes and fees included. You leave Detroit on Friday, Oct 16 at 6:30 AM and land in Tampa at 11:45 AM after one stop and 5h 15m, then fly home Sunday, Oct 18. Checked bags, any resort fee and spending money aren't in that total.
The total, before you go
$1,240 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, round trip | $860 |
| Barefoot Bay Resort Motel, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | $380 |
| The total, before you go | $1,240 |
| A checked bag each, round trip (not in the total) | about $240 |
$110 per person below the highest fare we saw for these dates.
Not in it: seat picks on basic fares and a checked bag (about $60 each way per bag on Frontier, $240 for two round trip); 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
$430 per person, round trip
$860 for two, taxes and fees included · Frontier · 1 stop · 5h 15m
Out Fri, Oct 16, 6:30 AM – Fri, Oct 16, 11:45 AM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier | $430 | 1 stop | 5h 15m |
| Frontier | $469 | nonstop | 2h 41m |
| Frontier | $493 | 1 stop | 12h |
Prices checked Oct 14, 2026, 8:52 AM EDT. 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
The fare is $430 per person, which is $110 below the highest fare we saw for these dates. That's a 20% gap across the 12 offers we checked. It puts the flights at $860 for two and the whole trip at $1,240 with Barefoot Bay Resort Motel. That total doesn't include checked bags, any resort fee or spending money. The forecast for Oct 16–18 shows highs of 82–86°F, lows of 72–77°F and a 13–16% chance of rain, with some drizzle on Friday and Saturday. That's warm enough for the Gulf and an evening at Pier 60. Detroit and Clearwater share a time zone, so there's no jet lag, and you don't need a passport. If you'd rather skip the stop, there's a Frontier nonstop at 8:25 PM that was $469 per person when we checked. Prices were all in when we found them, and they can change.
The kind of trip this is
This is a warm beach weekend: calm Gulf water and sugar-white sand, with the sunset crowd at Pier 60 and downtown St. Petersburg's museums and food a short drive away. It suits a couple or two friends who want a quick reset without changing time zones. Expect an easy pace: beach by day, a grouper sandwich at lunch and an early night before Sunday's flight home.
Weather in St. Pete / Clearwater, Oct 16–18
Highs 82–86°F, little rain expected
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 16 | 86 °F | 77 °F | 16% |
| Sat, Oct 17 | 82 °F | 73 °F | 14% |
| Sun, Oct 18 | 82 °F | 72 °F | 13% |
Where to stay in St. Pete / Clearwater
All three picks are in Clearwater Beach, the place for powder-white sand, Pier 60 sunsets and family resorts. Barefoot Bay Resort Motel is the best value and the one in our total. It's $380 for 2 nights ($190 a night) for a Queen Room with Sofa Bed, rated 9.4 from 180 reviews. Hotel Cabana Clearwater Beach costs $386 for the stay ($193 a night) for a Queen Room with Pool View and is rated 8.6 from 408 reviews. Pick it if you want to look out on the pool. Camelot Beach Suites costs $397 ($199 a night) for a Queen Studio and is rated 9.1 from 728 reviews, so its score rests on a lot of stays. All three are room only, and none offers free cancellation. If you want a quieter base another time, St. Pete Beach is the calmer Gulf beach.
Barefoot Bay Resort Motel
$380 for 2 nights, two guests · $190 a night
See roomsHotel Cabana Clearwater Beach
$386 for 2 nights, two guests · $193 a night
See roomsCamelot Beach Suites
$397 for 2 nights, two guests · $199 a night
See roomsAll hotels in St. Pete / Clearwater for these dates
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Where in St. Pete / Clearwater
- Clearwater Beach: Powder-white sand, Pier 60 sunsets and family resorts.
- St. Pete Beach: Quieter Gulf beach with the landmark Don CeSar resort.
- Downtown St. Petersburg: Museums, craft breweries and a waterfront pier.
- Indian Rocks Beach: Low-key beach cottages and condos between the two hubs.
What to do in St. Pete / Clearwater
- Catch the nightly sunset festival at Pier 60, an easy first evening after the 11:45 AM landing
- Boat out to Caladesi Island State Park for a beach day away from the main strip
- See the Salvador Dalí Museum in downtown St. Petersburg
- Kayak the mangroves of Weedon Island Preserve
- Eat grouper sandwiches at John's Pass Village
Tours and tickets in St. Pete / Clearwater
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Detroit | Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) |
|---|---|
| Airports in St. Pete / Clearwater | Tampa International (TPA), St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE) |
| Flight time | 5h 15m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 993 miles each way |
| Time difference | same time zone |
What 2 nights in St. Pete / Clearwater costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | $860 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Barefoot Bay Resort Motel) | $380 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | $520 |
| Total for two | $1,760 |
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: Detroit to St. Pete / Clearwater
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | $430 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | $430 (Oct 14, 2026) |
| Price checks | 4 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travelers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for St. Pete / Clearwater.
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- You don't need a passport, you'll pay in US dollars and there's no time difference from Detroit.
- The $430 fare is on Frontier with one stop: it leaves DTW at 6:30 AM and lands at Tampa International (TPA) at 11:45 AM.
- The flight covers 993 miles. St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE) also serves the area.
- All three hotels are room only, and none offers free cancellation.
- Prices are all in as we found them and can change. Checked bags, about $240 for two, aren't included.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
For most couples, yes, if a 6:30 AM one-stop flight and packing light work for you. You get highs of 82–86°F, a hotel rated 9.4 and a fare $110 per person below the highest we saw for these dates.
How much is the whole trip for two?
$1,240 all in: $860 for Frontier flights for two plus $380 for 2 nights at Barefoot Bay Resort Motel. Checked bags, about $240 for two, any resort fee and spending money are extra.
Is there a nonstop?
Yes. When we checked, a Frontier nonstop leaving Friday at 8:25 PM and landing at 11:06 PM was $469 per person, or $938 for two. It takes 2h 41m, but you'd lose Friday at the beach.
What's the weather like?
The forecast shows highs of 86°F Friday and 82°F over the weekend, with lows of 72–77°F. The chance of rain is 13–16%, with some drizzle on Friday and Saturday and clouds on Sunday.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic flight, you'll pay in US dollars and Clearwater is on the same time as Detroit.
Is 2 nights enough?
For a beach weekend, yes. With an 11:45 AM Friday landing, you get Friday evening at Pier 60, a full Saturday for Caladesi Island or the Dalí Museum and a Sunday morning on the sand.
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St. Pete / Clearwater in pictures
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