Thanksgiving will be here in a blink, and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is anticipating the excitement of the holiday season and a burst of increased travel activity.
Larger-than-usual volumes of passenger traffic are expected starting Thursday and Friday, Nov. 21 and 22, as travelers get ready for pumpkin to talk about.
Wednesday, Nov. 27, is expected to be the busiest day of Thanksgiving week, with almost 50,000 people passing through security. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, Dec. 1, is expected to draw a similar-sized crowd. All told in the week around Thanksgiving, MSP could see an 8% to 10% increase in passengers compared to the same period of 2023.
MSP continues to advise passengers to arrive two hours ahead of domestic flights, and three hours ahead for international travel. Always remain in touch with your airline and check for any changes to your flight before coming to the airport.
At both MSP terminals, MSP Reserve allows you to make a reservation for a security line time slot. There’s no charge.
If you’re a driver dropping off passengers at Terminal 2, consider using the Express Lane that opened recently, providing additional roadway capacity. If you’re parking at MSP, don’t forget that you can reserve a parking spot ahead of your arrival.
For those picking up passengers, remember to use either roadway level in front of Terminal 1 for drop-offs or pick-ups. If one roadway level is congested, use the other level and coordinate the new location with your passenger by cell phone. Remember to use the cell phone waiting lot when picking up at either terminal.
- Once inside either of MSP’s terminals for a departure, look for kiosks operated by your airline to print out bag tags for checked bags. Airline staff can help direct you.
- As you move toward the security checkpoint lines, the TSA has some tips for families traveling with children.
After you’ve cleared security, make sure to watch for “Sounds of the Season” musical and dance performances in both terminals. The popular series starts Thursday, Nov. 21, presented by Airport Foundation MSP.
If you’re not traveling through MSP for Thanksgiving, we look forward to seeing you soon, perhaps for the December holidays!