Whether you are dropping someone off or picking them up, it's important to plan ahead. Offered here are a few tips for making your trip to MSP a smooth one.
- Know which airline your traveler will be leaving or arriving on. This is the most important piece of information you'll need to have. There are two terminals at MSP Airport - Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 - with different airlines flying out of each. Check the Airlines section of the site to be sure you know which terminal your traveler will use.
- Strict federal security directives prohibit parked or unattended vehicles on the roadways in front of the terminals, even for a short time. You may pull to the curb in front of a terminal only long enough to drop off or pick up a waiting traveler. When picking up, the traveler must be waiting outside the terminal before you pull curbside; parking your vehicle at the curb while you wait for arriving travelers to emerge from the terminal is not allowed. Unattended vehicles may be ticketed and towed.
- When picking someone up from the airport, find out if your traveler has checked any bags. It sometimes takes a little while for bags to make it from the airplane to the baggage carousel. Curbside parking in front of the terminals is prohibited, so make sure your traveler has retrieved his or her bags and is waiting outside the terminal before pulling curbside.
- Be sure to exchange cell phone numbers. This way, your traveler can call you when they land so that you can time your arrival and avoid having to circle the roadway.
- Be sure you have your traveler's flight number and check its status before heading to the airport.
Terminal 2 Express Drop-off / Pick-up
In addition to the terminal curb, visitors at Terminal 2 can take advantage of the Express Lane when picking up or dropping off travelers. Conveniently located next to the skyway on Level 2 of the Purple Ramp, the Express Drop-off / Pick-up area provides a free, climate-controlled alternative to the main roadway. Vehicles entering the Express Drop-off / Pick-up area will have the option to enter the Hourly Parking area should you need to wait or leave your vehicle.
Park and Wait
If you are coming from a distance, plan to park at the airport and wait inside. Avoid the hassle of circling airport roadways, waiting for travelers to emerge from the terminal. Parking in the airport's covered, short-term ramps is a low-cost option. And you can walk from parking to the terminal without ever going outside.
Alternatively, motorists are encouraged to take advantage of MSP's complimentary cell phone waiting lots. The waiting areas are located on Post Road, approximately halfway between the terminals. Have your traveler call you when they've picked up their luggage and are exiting the terminal.
