Mid-Michigan residents could crave more warm-weather vacations as meteorologists predict the region will have a more "winter-like" season this year compared to last.

But where can you catch a direct flight without braving Detroit Metro Airport?

Lansing's Capital Region International Airport has flights to Mexico and the Dominican Republic, while airports in both Grand Rapids and Flint offer fights to warmer U.S. destinations.

As always, travelers need to be mindful of COVID-19 travel advisories. TheCenters for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all travelers be fully vaccinated for domestic flights and not travel if they've been exposed to COVID-19.

For international travel, passengers are required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before returning to the U.S.

No exposures? Here are places you can escape to from nearby airports:

From Lansing's Capital Region International Airport

After Jan. 3, United Airlines will pull out of the Lansing region's airport. But that doesn't end the airport's service to sunny destinations.

There are no direct domestic flights to the West, Southwest or South from Lansing. But the airport does service the Caribbean and Central America with select nonstop fligths.

"You can take an 8 a.m. flight from Lansing and be on the beach by noon," said Katherine Japinga, director of marketing at Capital Region International Airport.

No more United: United Airlines pulling out of Capital Region International Airport in January

Apple Vacations begins service out of Lansing Jan. 28 to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Cancun, Mexico. The airport has at least two flights a week to each destination, Japinga said.

Flights to Mexico are on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Flights to the Dominican Republic will be every Thursday and Sunday starting Jan. 30.

Japinga urged travelers to book flights as soon as possible to get ahead of the spring break rush.

Parking at the airport?

• Short-term parking is $14 per day

• Long-term parking is $10 per day

"Apple Vacations encourages people to use travel agents to book their flights," Japinga said. "They offer all-inclusive vacation packages as well and they let travel agents know about it."

While the Capital Region airport doesn't offer direct flights to warm domestic destinations, travelers can fly to Chicago, Detroit and Washington D.C. and catch connecting flights, Japinga said.

Airport CEO Nicole Noll-Williams is working with those three hubs on more frequent options.

"People are feeling more comfortable traveling with the vaccines," she said, adding they "are ready to take vacations they haven't had the opportunity to use last year."

From Flint's Bishop International Airport

An hour's drive northeast of Lansing, Bishop International Airport in Flint has direct flights to several warmer U.S. destinations.

Bishop CEO Nino Sapone encouraged travelers to book flights as soon as possible, as prices can triple in a matter of weeks. He said Flint is a hub for Allegiant Airlines, which offers low-cost a la carte flights to regional airports. Allegiant tickets are only available on the airline's website, so third-party booking sites don't offer the flights.

So where can you go from Flint?

• Seasonally, there are multiple flights to Florida.

• Year-round, travelers can book excursions in Las Vegas, Phoenix and a number of destinations in Florida, including Orlando and Tampa Bay.

Looking to park at Bishop?

• Terminal parking is $10 per day with no shuttle service

• Shuttle parking is $8 per day and $56 per week

Bishop does not offer direct flights to international destinations. Instead, Sapone said, the airport has flights to both Chicago and Charlotte, North Carolina, where connecting flights are available. Charlotte has three daily flights to the Caribbean, for example.

From Grand Rapids' Gerald R. Ford International Airport

An hour west of Lansing is Michigan's second-busiest airport behind Detroit Metro, Grand Rapids' Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

There, travelers can find direct flights to a wide selection of warm destinations:

• Year-round, the airport has flights to Las Vegas, a small Phoenix airport, Dallas and Florida.

• Seasonally, airlines offer flights to Los Angeles, Austin, New Orleans, Savannah-Hilton Head, Phoenix's international airport and additional locations in Florida.

"My suggestions for anyone booking an airline ticket: Book as soon as you know you want to go," said CEO Tory Richardson.

He's seen flights double in cost within days, but said some destinations will still have cheaper flights. Most of the time, domestic flight prices will dramatically increase within a month or week of the flight. Richardson urged those seeking international destinations to book at least six months in advance.

"People like to go south to experience the warm climates, and airlines know that people are buying those flights to get to somewhere warm," Richardson said. "They also know that in the summer, there's not a lot of demand to go to a warm place."

The airport offers a number of parking options:

• Short-term garage is $24 per day and $168 per week

• Long-term garage is $18 per day and $126 per week

• Long-term North Lot is $10 per day and $70 per week with no shuttle service.

• Long-term East Lot is $15 per day and $105 per week and is card only.

He said Grand Rapids is positioned to serve loyal United travelers losing their preferred airline in Lansing.

The airport is undergoing a $90 million expansion project to upgrade its TSA checkpoint and expand its concourse along with other improvements. Once completed, the airport is expected to serve more airlines and offer more daily flights.

"The airlines felt during the pandemic that west Michigan residents were more willing to travel and they are putting more flights in our path to enjoy," Richardson said.

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Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at (517) 267-1344 or knurse@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @KrystalRNurse.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan is cold. These airports have direct flights to warm weather