Alaska Airlines from MidAmerica St. Louis Airport to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport

Ever had that moment when you catch an absurd bargain at the supermarket? Well, imagine finding that same bargain in the air travel market. You're browsing a dusty corner of the internet and you happen upon the fabled "Cheap flights" to Alaska -- from the heartland of America, no less! Suddenly, the fickle finger of travel fortune points at you and whispers, "MidAmerica St. Louis Airport to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport... Go!" If you're wondering if this is a fairy-tale, it's not. It's just another Tuesday on the internet.

Now you may ask, are there direct flights from MidAmerica St. Louis Airport to Alaska's Ted Stevens Anchorage International? The answer is in the suspenseful wind of Airfare Mysteries. It’s riveting. It's hair-raising. In reality though, the majority of flights from the Midwest to the Last Frontier usually involve a layover. If you're lucky, it's just one plane-change... hopefully not at 3:14 a.m. Or, in other words, a red-eye flight that leaves a traveler looking like they auditioned for the role of the zombie in a horror movie.

If the thought of a layover makes your innate couch potato squirm, take heart. There are also non-stop flights. While they might cost a little more than their indirect counterparts, they offer the sweet, sweet promise of fewer security checkpoints and less quality time with the aggressively affectionate airport scanning machines.

Now, don’t forget, just as Cinderella had her midnight curfew, every traveler rummaging the internet for deals must understand the golden phrase "Best time to book". It's a universal truth that airfare tends to be the cheapest a couple of months before the departure date. But, be warned, the Airfare Gods also have a nasty sense of humor. So, do remember to clear your browser cookies. Or you might find your 'cheap flight' magically doubling in price overnight.

Before we forget, here’s a note for the cabin-seekers. The style of your in-flight pampering — economy class, business class, premium economy, or first-class — is entirely up to your wallet and the extent to which you appreciate flight crew cosplay and foam mattresses.

Aaanyway, you’ve made it! You touched down on Alaskan soil. Your frozen breath hangs in the midnight sun-not-sun as you exhale a Minnesotan "Ope! It's a bit chilly, ain't it?" because, fun fact, more than half of the world's glaciers are found in Alaska. Yes, half! And now you're basking in the frosty glory of it all, contemplating on how that internet pointer landed you in this breathtaking slice of heaven.

Frequent flyer or not, every flight you take paints a unique tale. From the airport rush, fascinating layover stories, to the pulse-pounding what’s-going-to-happen-next cabin experiences - each trip molds an unmatched narrative. But above all the uncertainty and ever-changing flight schedules, it's the promise of landing in a place like Alaska – a land of stunning glaciers and a haven for countless adventures – that makes the journey fascinating, thrilling, and a tad bit hilarious.

So the next time you see that virtual finger of fortune pointing, remember: A round-trip flight or one-way adventure to Alaska may very well be the next chapter in your unique journey. It might come with last-minute flights, connecting flights, or even a bizarre flight cancellation policy scenario. But at the end of it all, the heartwarming (or is it freezing?) Alaskan experiences make every mile flown worth it. The luggage of memories you create definitely won't need a baggage allowance!