Roberta Aguirre
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has been voted Best Airport in America and The 5th Most Reliable Large Airport by Peter Greenberg. It is revered for its ease of check-in, security, and amenities. The airport is easy to navigate, with a tram that runs between concourses A, B, and C. It also has plenty of moving walkways to help speed you along. If you're transferring from one terminal to another, you can use the light rail transit service, which operates 24 hours a day between terminals with no fare required. The Humphrey Terminal (Terminal 2) is particularly easy to navigate, with a laid-back regional airport vibe.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ease of navigation | Easy to navigate, even with short layovers |
| Walkways | Moving walkways to speed up travel |
| Tram | Available to get around faster |
| Golf cart | Available to get around faster |
| Terminal transfer | Possible via light rail transit service |
| Check-in and security | Easy |
| Awards | "Best Airport in America", "The 5th Most Reliable Large Airport" |
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What You'll Learn
Ease of check-in, security and amenities
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has been voted the "Best Airport in America" and is revered for its ease of check-in, security, and amenities. It is the 5th most reliable large airport and the country's 17th busiest travel hub, with 34 million passengers passing through each year. The airport has also received awards in categories such as safety, fiscal management, labor relations, legal oversight, snow and ice control, concessions, airport design and development, and marketing and communications.
The airport has two main terminals: Terminal 1 (Lindbergh Terminal) and Terminal 2 (Humphrey Terminal). If you're flying Sun Country Airlines, Southwest, or Frontier, you'll be using Terminal 2, which is much smaller and easier to navigate. In fact, one person claimed to have walked from one end of the terminal to the other in just 7 minutes. If you're flying Delta or one of its partner airlines, you'll be using Terminal 1, which is larger and has several concourses. However, it still shouldn't take more than 10 to 15 minutes to reach your connecting gate, and there are plenty of moving walkways to help speed you along. There is also a tram that runs between concourses A, B, and C, which can get you to your gate faster.
If you need to transfer from one terminal to the other, you can use the light rail transit service, which operates 24 hours a day between the terminals with no fare required. There is no pedestrian access between the buildings. To get to the airport from downtown Minneapolis, you can catch the Blue Line to either terminal. From downtown Saint Paul, take the Green Line to U.S. Bank Stadium Station, then switch to the Blue Line to get to either terminal.
Overall, travellers report that MSP is pretty easy and quick to navigate, as long as your first flight is on time. One traveller reported that they were able to make a 25-minute layover, although it "was not chill". Another traveller with a 1-hour layover reported having plenty of time, even commenting that they wished they had a book to read during their layover.
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Short layovers
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has been voted the "Best Airport in America" and is revered for its ease of check-in, security, and amenities. It is also the 5th Most Reliable Large Airport and the 17th busiest travel hub in the country.
If you are flying out of Terminal 1, it may take a bit longer to reach your connecting gate, but it is still relatively easy to navigate. The airport is quite large, but it has plenty of moving walkways and trams to help speed up your journey. It shouldn't take more than 10 to 15 minutes to reach your connecting gate. Additionally, there is a light rail transit service that operates 24 hours a day between the two terminals, and there is no fare required for travel between airport stations.
If you have a very short layover, such as 30 minutes or less, you may want to be more conservative and allow for potential delays. However, if your flights are on time, even a short layover should be manageable at MSP.
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Transport between terminals
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has been voted the "Best Airport in America" and is considered easy to navigate. The airport is a centrally-located travel hub with efficient check-in, security, and amenities. It is also the 5th Most Reliable Large Airport and the 17th busiest travel hub in the country, serving 34 million passengers annually.
The airport has two terminals: Terminal 1-Lindbergh and Terminal 2-Humphrey. If you need to transfer between these terminals, you can use the light rail transit service, which operates 24 hours a day with no fare charged for travel between airport stations. There is no pedestrian access between the terminal buildings.
Terminal 1 (T1) is the larger of the two and serves Delta and all Delta partner airlines. It has multiple concourses, including Concourse A, B, C, E, and F. Getting from one concourse to another within T1 is relatively quick and easy, and there are moving walkways to assist you. Additionally, there is a tram that runs between Concourses A, B, and C, which can speed up your connection.
Terminal 2 (T2) is the Humphrey Terminal and serves airlines such as Sun Country Airlines, Southwest, and Frontier. It is a smaller satellite building with a more relaxed atmosphere and is very easy to navigate on foot.
When navigating between terminals and concourses, it is recommended to allow for sufficient connection time, especially if you are connecting to an international flight. While short layovers are manageable, some travellers suggest bringing a book or planning a meal during longer layovers to pass the time.
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Navigating Terminal 1
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has been voted the "Best Airport in America" and is considered easy to navigate. Terminal 1 has many public transportation options if you’re not travelling by car. If you are driving, there are clear directions on the MSP website, and there is plenty of covered parking available.
Once you arrive at Terminal 1, you will need to check in. This can be done in the Ticketing Lobby, located on Level 2 off the upper roadway, one level above Baggage Claim. If you are travelling with a lot of luggage, there are baggage carts available. There are also baggage storage options if you need to store your luggage for a few hours or days.
After checking in, you will need to go through security. The security checkpoints are located on Level 2, near the Orange and Purple Parking Ramp skyways. At least one of the two checkpoints will be open between 4 am and 10 pm.
If you have some time to kill before your flight, there are plenty of dining and shopping options available in Terminal 1. The Escape Lounge is a great place to relax, catch up on work, or enjoy a meal. There are also moving walkways to help you get around the terminal quickly.
When it's time to board your flight, you can find your gate on the departure boards located throughout the terminal. The gates in Terminal 1 are divided into Concourses A, B, C, and E or F. You can walk from one concourse to another, or you can take the tram that runs between Concourses A, B, and C.
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Navigating Terminal 2
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has been voted the "Best Airport in America" and is revered for its ease of check-in, security, and amenities. The airport has two terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 (also known as the Humphrey Terminal). Terminal 2 is a smaller satellite building with a more laid-back, "regional airport" vibe. It is very easy to navigate, and it only takes about seven minutes to walk from one end to the other.
If you are driving to Terminal 2, you can find directions on the MSP airport website. The website also provides a map of the terminal. Terminal 2 has two covered parking ramps: Hourly and Value. Hourly is designated for stays of a few hours, and Value is ideal if you plan to leave your car for a day or more.
Once you arrive at Terminal 2, you can purchase a ticket, obtain a boarding pass, and check your luggage in the building's Ticketing Lobby, located on Level 1. Some airlines also offer curbside check-in services in front of the terminal. Contact your airline for hours or more information. Then, go through security on Level 2, near the Orange or Purple Parking Ramp skyways.
Terminal 2 has great options for dining or shopping. If you are transferring from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1, you can use the light rail transit service. Trains operate 24 hours a day between the terminals, and there is no fare for travel between airport stations.
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Frequently asked questions
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has been voted the "Best Airport in America" and is revered for its ease of check-in, security, and amenities. The airport is also considered easy to navigate by travellers, with short layovers being manageable due to the ease of moving between concourses and terminals.
Travellers needing to transfer between terminals at the Minneapolis airport can use the 24-hour light rail transit service. There is no fare required for travel between airport stations, and no pedestrian access between the buildings.
The time to get between gates at the Minneapolis airport depends on the specific gates and the method of transportation. Walking between adjacent concourses in Terminal 1 can be quick, and the tram that runs between concourses A, B, and C can also speed up travel time. Overall, it shouldn't take more than 10 to 15 minutes to reach your connecting gate.
During a short layover at the Minneapolis airport, it is important to ensure that your first flight is on time. If you are travelling between gates that are far apart, such as A12 to F7, you can use the trams or airport golf carts to get around faster. Additionally, if you are flying Delta, keep in mind that all their flights operate in and out of Terminal 1.
The Minneapolis airport is considered a large airport, serving as the country's 17th busiest travel hub with 34 million passengers annually. Despite its size, the airport is still relatively easy to navigate compared to other large airports, such as Atlanta International Airport.
