Fly From Florida To These 3 Cities For a White Christmas For Under $200

Chances are minimal that we’ll see a white Christmas in Florida this year. We got some chilly temps this week in the Tampa area. But on Christmas day, it's pretty unlikely we'll see snow-covered palm trees. As a kid from Maine who moved here specifically for the snow-free life, I don't miss the white stuff. But for those of you who are lifelong Floridians, I get the appeal. Snow looks pretty on post cards and in music videos playing Christmas carols. So here's my list of cities I'd suggest visiting if you are dreaming of a White Christmas, but live in Florida. And I found some pretty good deals.

Here are some good deals I found from Tampa International Airport for Christmas week. All of these flights are for a 7 day stay. Roundtrip airfare for all 3 are under $200, which is pretty remarkable as holiday travel can be super expensive. Definitely avoid travel those last few days before Christmas and the day after Christmas to save you some cash. I usually fly on Christmas day itself. You save a bundle and won’t have to deal with insane crowds. If you get an evening flight, you’ll still get to spend Christmas morning with friends and family.

OK, I'm a little biased. I grew up here. Portland has really become a tourist favorite. Growing up I didn't really notice all the things that tourists do. I didn't really like lobster until later in life. And the mountains, pine trees and ocean... it was just what I always saw so it wasn't special like it is to me now when I go back and visit. Right now you can get a direct flight to Portland on Frontier Airlines for $174. That's crazy low for non-stop service.

Here's another thing that's great about this flight deal. Portland is only 2 hours from Boston. It's a cheap $30 bus ride so you can get 2 vacations in one. Go see a Bruins game or do some ice skating in the park. And whatever you do, don't miss visiting the North End. It's Boston's Italian neighborhood. Get some chicken parmesan or lobster ravioli at Giacomo's on Hanover Street. You won't have room for dessert, but stop at Mike's Pastry after anyway. Cannoli is the thing they're famous for but I love their cupcakes.

While it's not a sure thing you'll see snow on the ground at Christmas in Maine, you can easily take a drive up to the mountains to do some skiing to see the white stuff. There's also a nonstop bus that'll take you to New York City if you're so inclined. It's a long 6 hour trip though.

Just like any of these cities, there's no snow guarantee, but with Chicago, you can best believe it'll be cold enough for it. Found this super cheap roundtrip route for $185! Here's the catch... the flight times are annoying. YOu leave the day before Christmas super early at 5:49AM out of Tampa International. But the flight is direct so you are in Chicago by 8AM. That gets you there just in time to have blueberry pancakes at Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe right across the street from the famous bean. Later for lunch or dinner, grab some deep dish pizza to warm you up.

The flight back is a less than ideal time too. You leave Chicago on New Year's Eve at 9:15pm so you get back to Tampa in 2025. So yeah you'll be doing the countdown with other passengers on the plane. I guess that could be fun? Just make sure you catch the cart going by serving alcohol. This flight is with an airline most dread... Spirit. I've flown them often. While it's not my favorite airline (that's JetBlue), they're not that bad.

While politicians don’t conjure up warm fuzzy feelings for the holidays, DC can get its fair share of the white stuff. A couple years ago they got more than any of the states in the northeast. Plus you’re a short train ride away from lots of other great spots to visit for Christmas like New York and Philadelphia. I found a $198 roundtrip non-stop airfare with Frontier. Spend Christmas morning with friends and family here in Florida and then take off after lunch at 1:30PM. You'd get to spend New Year's Eve in DC too. The return flight to Tampa is at 5:53PM on January 1.

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Check out these pics from yesterday. Although we've had some cooler temperatures here in the Tampa area, the snow didn't quite reach Florida. But check out what our neighbors to the north were dealing with this weekend!