Navigating Detroit Metro: A Guide To Smooth Travel

how to navigate detroit metro airport

Detroit Metropolitan Airport, also known as Detroit Metro Airport or DTW, is Michigan's busiest airport. It is a major point for east-to-west U.S. flight connections and is the third-biggest hub for Delta Air Lines. The airport offers two terminals—the McNamara Terminal and the Evans Terminal—with a variety of dining, shopping, and lounge options. To help passengers get around, DTW provides an interactive map, shuttle services, and an Airport Ambassador program.

Characteristics Values
Airport Code DTW
Location Off of Interstate 94, Detroit, MI 48242
Website www.metroairport.com
Contact Number (734) 247-7678
Shuttle Services Available for transportation around DTW
Terminals 2 (McNamara Terminal and Evans Terminal)
Terminal Transportation McNamara ExpressTram
Accessibility Accessible to travelers with disabilities and additional needs
Wi-Fi Available throughout the airport and during mid-flight
Recommended Arrival Time (Domestic) 2 hours before departure
Recommended Arrival Time (International) 3 hours before departure

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The Airport Ambassadors program

The Detroit Metropolitan Airport can be a little overwhelming, especially during the busy flying season. However, the Airport Ambassadors program is a great help for lost or confused travellers. This is a group of volunteers who make their way around the airport, looking to help travellers get to where they need to be. The volunteers are easy to spot, and they are often heading over to help before you even know they are there! The Airport Ambassadors are just one of the ways that DTW ensures its customers can get around without stress.

The airport itself is large, old, and complex, with the world's second-longest airport concourse at nearly one mile in length—that's Detroit Metropolitan Airport's McNamara Terminal, Concourse A. To help passengers get around, the ExpressTram system was developed. This is a kind of raised train, like a Chicago "L", but with a shiny red exterior and a sleek, futuristic feel. It travels at speeds of up to 30 mph and is free for travellers to use, with plenty of stops throughout Concourse A.

In addition to the Ambassador program and the ExpressTram, DTW has also partnered with Advance Wireless Group to offer some of the best wi-fi connections available, even while in mid-flight. This means that travellers can connect to the internet and get on with work, or play, without the usual issues of slow or patchy connections.

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DTW Travel Guide

Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) is Michigan's busiest airport and is a major hub for east-to-west U.S. flight connections. It is located off of Interstate 94, Detroit, MI 48242. The airport offers two terminals, McNamara Terminal and Evans Terminal, with a variety of dining, shopping, and lounge options.

When navigating DTW, it is important to give yourself plenty of time for parking, baggage check, and TSA wait lines. It is recommended to arrive two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. DTW offers accessible entrances, wheelchair assistance, and additional assistance for passengers with disabilities.

To get between the two terminals, you can take John Dingell Drive, which offers connections by car or bus. Terminal shuttle buses are also available and frequent, but can be less convenient than a train. If you are travelling within the McNamara Terminal, you can make use of the ExpressTram system, a raised "L" train that travels up to 30 mph and offers free and convenient transportation.

DTW also offers a range of amenities to keep waiting passengers entertained, including a huge water feature in the centre of the McNamara Terminal. The airport has partnered with Advance Wireless Group to offer travellers high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the terminal and even during flights. Additionally, the Airport Ambassadors program provides volunteers who assist lost or confused travellers in navigating the airport.

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McNamara ExpressTram

The McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport features the world's second-longest airport concourse at nearly one mile in length. To help passengers get around, the airport has the ExpressTram system, which was custom-designed by Poma-Otis Transportation Systems. The ExpressTram entered service when the McNamara Terminal opened on February 24, 2002. The two cable-driven trams on the system are painted red and operate 21 feet above the main concourse floor. The trams ride on an air cushion, similar to a hovercraft, and travel at speeds of up to 30 mph.

The ExpressTram services three stations along Concourse A. The stations at the ends of the concourse are named the North Station (serving gates A56–A78) and the South Station (serving gates A1–A28). The centre station, called the Terminal Station, serves gates A29–A55, as well as Luggage Claim, Ground Transportation, and Concourses B and C. The Terminal Station has an island platform and a bypass guideway that allows the two trams to pass each other.

The ExpressTram is free for travellers to use and offers a quick and convenient way to get around the massive Concourse A. It is especially useful for passengers with tight connecting flights, allowing them to quickly get to their next gate or to the main terminal building, where they can find baggage claim and ground transportation.

Overall, the ExpressTram is an innovative and efficient solution to navigating the lengthy Concourse A at Detroit Metropolitan Airport's McNamara Terminal. By providing a fast and comfortable mode of transportation, the ExpressTram helps to reduce the stress and fatigue associated with traversing long distances within an airport.

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Terminal transportation

Detroit Metropolitan Airport is simple to navigate with the right information. The airport itself is accessible from I-94 and I-275. It operates flights from two passenger terminals—McNamara Terminal and Evans Terminal—located at either end of the airport and are not connected to one another. John Dingell Drive runs between the two terminals for connections by car or bus.

McNamara Terminal is the larger of the two terminals, consisting of three concourses—A, B, and C—where SkyTeam airlines Aeromexico, Delta, and Air France operate. The terminal is at the southern end of the airport, with parking just outside and roadways to John Dingell Drive for inter-terminal connections or onward travel. Outside the secure area, McNamara Terminal has a central link area with several shops, cafes, and restaurants, a ticketing lobby on level 3, and the Westin Hotel on the lower level. General passengers can choose between two security checkpoints (one on level 2 and one on level 3) to pass through into Concourse A. Concourse A is a mile-long concourse, and because of its length, the ExpressTram system was developed to quickly drop off and pick up passengers who need to get to their terminal in a hurry, with plenty of stops throughout. The tram is free to ride and can be taken around the terminal as often as needed. Hotel guests have access to a security checkpoint exclusively for passengers staying at the Westin Hotel.

Evans Terminal is situated at the north end of the airport and is the smaller of the two terminals, consisting of Concourse D only. Flights for non-SkyTeam airlines operate from 29 gates, numbered D1 to D32. Ticketing and departures are situated on the upper level, while arrivals and transportation services are on the lower level.

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History of the airport

The Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, commonly known as Detroit Metro, has played a key role in the nation's aviation system since its founding in the late 1920s. The airport was first dedicated in 1930 as Wayne County Airport and its first plane landed a few months before the dedication. During World War II, the U.S. Army assumed control of the airport in 1940 and renamed it the Romulus Army Air Field. It was used as a staging base to transport military aircraft to Europe.

In 1944, as World War II was coming to an end, the U.S. Army announced plans to release control of the airport. Upon Wayne County’s renewed control in 1947, the airport was renamed the Detroit-Wayne Major Airport. The county expanded the airport to four square miles, quadruple its original size, to accommodate larger passenger planes. In the late 1940s, it was decided that the airport would become Detroit's primary airport, and with that decision came further expansion.

In 1956, the Detroit-Wayne Major Airport became one of the first to receive long-range radar through a Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) program. In 1958, Terminal 1 (later renamed the L.C. Smith Terminal) was opened to accommodate the increasing demand for passenger flights. Around the time Terminal 1 opened, the airport was renamed the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. In 1966, Terminal 2 (later renamed the J.M. Davey Terminal) was constructed, followed by the Michael Berry International Terminal in 1974.

The airport continued to expand in the 2000s, with the addition of the McNamara Terminal in 2002, and the North Terminal in 2005. The McNamara Terminal is the world's second-longest airport concourse at nearly one mile in length, and features the ExpressTram system, which quickly transports passengers throughout the terminal. Today, the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is one of the largest and busiest airports in the United States, servicing more than 32 million passengers annually.

Frequently asked questions

It is recommended that you arrive at the airport two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.

The Detroit Metro Airport offers shuttle services, terminal transportation options, and an ExpressTram system for easy navigation.

The Detroit Metro Airport has two terminals: the McNamara Terminal and the Evans Terminal. These terminals are located at either end of the airport and are not connected to each other.

The airport offers a variety of dining, shopping, and lounge options, including eight lounges, with four being Delta Sky Clubs. Priority Pass members can also access the Lufthansa Business Lounge.

Yes, the Detroit Metro Airport offers free Wi-Fi for travellers. To connect, simply set your device's SSID to "Detroit Airport Wi-fi" and open your browser.

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