Cheap flights to Baltimore

Quick summary

Why track Baltimore with SniperAir

You don't need to compare prices every day

Airport and getting into town

BWI, about 16 km away, with light rail and trains into town

Distances and times are approximate, based on Wikivoyage (EN, DE, ES) and Wikipedia (EN, FR, DE, ES); timetables change, so check them before you travel. We give no fares.

Baltimore is the largest city in Maryland, with 585,708 residents at the 2020 census (Wikipedia EN, FR, DE), in a metro area of more than 2.8 million. At the mouth of the Patapsco on Chesapeake Bay, it lies about 64 km (40 miles) from Washington and about 160 km (100 miles) from Philadelphia according to Wikivoyage (EN). Independent of any county since 1851 (Wikipedia FR, DE), it was a major immigration port, the second in the United States after Ellis Island according to Wikipedia (EN). It is nicknamed Charm City according to Wikivoyage (EN).

Landmarks and sights

Fells Point, Mount Vernon, the Inner Harbor and a red lighthouse

Baltimore is best explored on foot and by bus around its inner harbour, brick neighbourhoods and monuments. Five places are illustrated; Fort McHenry, the Washington Monument and Edgar Allan Poe's house are described in text.

Fells Point and its cobbled streets

Mount Vernon from above

The Inner Harbor at night

Downtown from above

The Seven Foot Knoll lighthouse

Fort McHenry, the Washington Monument and Poe, in text

Fort McHenry, at the tip of Locust Point, withstood the British bombardment in 1814; Francis Scott Key wrote there the poem that became the American anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner according to Wikivoyage (EN). The Washington Monument, atop a 19th-century square in Mount Vernon, predates the one in the capital by several decades according to Wikipedia (EN). Baltimore also holds the house and grave of writer Edgar Allan Poe according to Wikipedia (FR, DE).

Museums and culture

Aquarium, art, trains, African-American history and visionary art

National Aquarium and Maryland Science Center

In the Inner Harbor, the busy National Aquarium and the child-friendly Maryland Science Center are safe bets according to Wikivoyage (EN). The harbour also has historic ships, including the USS Constellation.

Walters Art Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art

The Walters Art Museum is in Mount Vernon, and the Baltimore Museum of Art is near Johns Hopkins University according to Wikivoyage (EN). Hours and access conditions change: check the official website.

B&O Railroad Museum, American Visionary Arts Museum and Black history

The B&O Railroad Museum tells the story of the first railroad in the United States; the American Visionary Arts Museum, called radically eccentric by Wikivoyage (EN), shows self-taught art. The city, with a majority African-American population, also has many sites devoted to this history. We do not quote fares.

Food and drink

Crabs, crab cakes, pit beef and a big covered market

Blue crabs

The signature dish is steamed crab, enjoyed between May and September with family and friends according to Wikivoyage (EN). Crab cakes, vegetable crab soup and crab bisque are other classics. Off season, crab may come from far away.

Local specialties

The pit beef sandwich is a Baltimore tradition born of American barbecue and the tastes of Polish immigrants according to Wikivoyage (EN): beef slow-cooked in a pit, served on a roll with onions and horseradish. Coddies are another local specialty.

Market and neighbourhoods

Little Italy, Fells Point, Federal Hill, Canton Square, Greektown and Mount Washington offer local and international food according to Wikivoyage (EN). Lexington Market is very busy at lunchtime, with countless vendors.

Getting around

Light Rail, free buses, a water taxi, bikes and trains to Washington

Light rail and subway

The Light Rail links Camden Yards, Lexington Market and the Station North district; the single-line subway mostly serves the suburbs and hospital districts according to Wikivoyage (EN). Penn Station, the intercity rail hub, is about 3 km (two miles) north of the Inner Harbor.

Circulator and water taxi

The free Charm City Circulator buses link the Inner Harbor, Fells Point, Federal Hill, Mount Vernon and Penn Station according to Wikivoyage (EN). From May to September a water taxi serves the Inner Harbor, Fells Point, Fort McHenry and Canton.

Washington and by car

Washington is about 64 km away, but the drive can take up to two hours at rush hour according to Wikivoyage (EN): the MARC commuter train is often better. Parking is expensive near the harbour; park at a suburban Light Rail station instead.

Budget and precautions

An average East Coast price level, with pricier hotels around the harbour

Price level

Baltimore is cheaper than Washington or New York, with restaurants and museums often more affordable, but lodging around the Inner Harbor can be costly. The currency is the US dollar (USD). We do not publish figures, because sources are dated or disagree.

Flights and alerts

SniperAir tracks flight prices to BWI and compares them with the route's history, but it does not sell or book tickets. Washington (DCA, IAD) and Philadelphia (PHL) are other possible entry points according to Wikivoyage (EN).

Precautions

The tourist centre is lively, but Baltimore has neighbourhoods where caution is advised, especially at night: stay in busy areas and ask your accommodation for advice. Foreign visitors should check US entry requirements for their nationality.

When to go

Four seasons: hot humid summers and cool winters

Baltimore has a humid subtropical climate, type Cfa, according to Wikipedia (EN), with hot humid summers, cool winters and rainfall spread across the year. Wikivoyage (EN) notes the city does not see the extremes of the north and the interior. For a pleasant visit, aim for spring and autumn; for crabs, May to September.

By length of stay

What to do in Baltimore by length of stay

In pictures

Baltimore in pictures

You might also like

Similar destinations

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about flights to Baltimore