The MEA school break is right around the corner and many Minnesotans will use the opportunity to fly out of MSP Airport for a pre-winter vacation.
Passenger numbers traditionally start to increase the weekend before the MEA school break, which is Oct. 20 and 21 this year. The Wednesday of MEA week is typically the busiest travel day. MSP will have extra staff on hand during the MEA period to direct passengers to appropriate lines and help with wayfinding and other questions. We still recommend that flyers arrive two hours ahead of a domestic flight and three hours ahead of an international flight.
MSP is offering some discounts for prebooked parking around MEA that guarantees travelers a parking space for $2 less than daily drive-up rates.
Travel Tips for any flight
During busy times, drivers can go up or down to Terminal 1’s departures or arrivals levels, to pick up or drop off passengers. For pick-ups, also consider using the cell phone lot on Post Road, where you can stage yourself while you wait for a call from your passenger after they have their bags.
If you’re flying with children, it’s a good idea to revisit the TSA’s tips for traveling with children, and other travel tips including what you can and cannot bring through security.
Once inside, we encourage you to explore the terminal and experience the wide variety of options for food and beverages. For pre-flight dining, you have options to make your airport experience time-efficient at both terminals. At Terminal 1, MSP ASAP offers options to order ahead and pick up your items. At Terminal 2, travelers can order ahead from several restaurants and skip the lines.