Cheap Flights To Birmingham (BHM)

Birmingham is a city located in the central part of Alabama. It is home to the University of Alabama, the Southern Museum of Flight and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Museum. Orbitz.com can help locate low-fare flights to Birmingham, as well as discounts on travel packages and accommodations.

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

Individuals traveling to Birmingham by plane will arrive at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. It is located approximately 5 miles southeast of downtown, on Airport Highway, and it is one of the busiest airports in Alabama. There are several options for transportation from the Birmingham Airport. Rental car agencies can be found in Section 1C of the main parking deck and include Alamo, Enterprise and Hertz. Taxis are located near the baggage claim areas. They offer metered rides to anywhere in the city, and it takes 10 to 15 minutes to reach downtown. Shuttles and limos are available by reservation only, and many hotels offer transportation to and from the airport for their guests.

Planning Your Trip

Birmingham has plenty of things for travelers to do and see. The McWane Science Center is an interactive museum, which is perfect for families with children. It has an IMAX dome theater with daily 3-D movies and a food court with a variety of snacks and cafeteria menu items. The Birmingham Zoo is located 2 miles from downtown Birmingham. Visitors can watch the animals being fed, ride the park train and learn about the animals in their natural habitat. Alabama experiences hot, humid summers with average daily highs of around 91 degrees Fahrenheit. Travelers should wear cool clothing and drink plenty of water. June to August is the peak tourist season, so it can be harder to locate deals on accommodations for these months. Winters are mild, with overnight lows of around 34 degrees Fahrenheit, so make sure to bring a coat if you're traveling to Birmingham then. Keep in mind, though, that it is often best to dress in layers for the warmer afternoon temperatures. Spring and fall offers cooler temperatures, with daytime highs in the upper 50s. The area draws in a large college football crowd in the fall, so expect higher prices.

Enjoying Birmingham

Birmingham is a southern city with plenty of charm, cultural events and outdoor activities. From the museums to sporting events, travelers have a wide variety of activities from which to choose. Use Orbitz to locate deals on travel packages, accommodations, car rentals and flights to Birmingham.

Regardless of when you travel to Birmingham, it’s likely to be warm (OK, make that hot) and a bit muggy. It’s a very walkable town, with streets arranged in a grid, allowing you to hit highlights (like the monuments of the Civil Rights District or the historic art deco architecture of the Five Points South neighborhood) by foot. In late August, the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival features independent films from all over the country, screening the flicks in historic theaters like the recently renovated Alabama Theatre, a 2,200-seat venue built by Paramount Pictures in 1927.

Winters are mild but sleepy, with little tourist traffic. Spring temperatures can rise into the 80s, but rarely reach the 90s. Use the milder temperatures as an excuse to hike nearby Oak Mountain State Park’s 50 miles of scenic, hilly trails.

Fall could be the best time to visit, thanks to balmier temperatures and an abundance of small, culture-driven festivals. In September, the Birmingham Art Walk floods downtown with thousands of pieces of original art, while the Taste of Fourth Avenue Jazz Festival celebrates the city’s place in the jazz canon. The Southern Women’s Show has been a tradition in Birmingham for almost 30 years, combining fashion shows, shopping, cooking classes, and celebrity guests with Southern accents in a three-day extravaganza in October. Also in October is Break’n Bread, a food and wine festival that gathers the city’s best chefs for tastings and workshops in gorgeous Railroad Park.

Fall is also college football season, so you’ll likely notice an unbridled enthusiasm for the University of Alabama. To get the full effect, visit the final resting place of the patron father of SEC football, Paul “Bear” Bryant, in Elmwood Cemetery. Crimson stripes lead to his grave.