Your journey to the Upper Peninsula
An isolated city deep in the Northwoods, getting to Marquette can be a challenge. It's nearly a seven hour drive from Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis. Flights, especially those from a smaller airport like PDX or SBA, typically have multiple transfers. We completely understand if the travel is too onerous, whether physically or financially, and you choose to celebrate with us in spirit instead.
That said, Paul has acquired a few tips and tricks that might help you get here on a budget. The biggest one though is to BOOK EARLY. Flights and hotels only get more expensive the closer you get to the wedding.
Airports: The closest airport is Sawyer Regional
Airport (MQT). It's a 25 minute drive from Marquette. While it's the
most accessible, it's not always the cheapest.
Bus service
is available from the airport to Marquette.
The next closest airport is Delta County Airport (ESC) in Escanaba.
It's an 80 minute drive from Marquette and often is cheaper than MQT.
A little further away is Ford Airport (IMT) in Iron Mountain, which is
95 minutes from Marquette. If you're flying into IMT though, keep in
mind that it's on Central Time, not Eastern Time.
Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX) is 2 hours from Marquette and
rarely has the cheapest flights. But if you're planning on extending
your trip in the UP by visiting the beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula, it
could be a good choice.
Further away in Wisconsin are the airports for Appleton (ATW) and
Green Bay (GRB). These two airports are about a 3.5 hour drive from
Marquette, but they often are much cheaper than other options.
Tip! Use
Google Flights and
plug in multiple airports to see the cheapest available options.
The Portland-Appleton Connection: For those flying
from Portland, there is a direct flight to Appleton that runs once
every Thursday and Sunday on
Allegiant Airlines. These flights are very cheap, and even with the 3.5 hour
drive to Marquette, factored in, they're often still faster than
flying to MQT. As of September 2025, there's no official word if
they'll be offering this flight in 2026, but if past trends hold, they
should be releasing their Summer routes before December.
Tip! Coordinate with your other cool Portland friends to split
a rental car and save BIG MONEY!
International Travelers: If you're coming in from
outside of the United States, you may be able to find signicant
savings by instead flying into Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
(YAM). You'll save even more money renting a car on the Canadian side,
as they charge lower rates because the Canucks drive less agressively
than Americans. It's a 3 hour drive from there to Marquette, winding
through the rolling forests of the eastern Upper Peninsula. Taking
this route will allow you to sightsee the Soo Locks, Tahquamenon
Falls, and maybe even take a detour to Mackinac Island.
Tip! Make sure to check your passport, visa, and car rental
policy carefully, as you will be flying into Canada, then driving into
the United States. You will also need to pay a toll to cross the
International Bridge.
Current rates.