Passenger traffic continues to increase at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) in line with strong national travel demand this summer.
MSP has reached new pandemic-era milestones in passenger activity in recent weeks, resulting in the airport’s busiest days in the last 16 months. In early June, more than 30,000 passengers were screened through MSP security checkpoints in a single day for the first time since the start of the pandemic. This number has now been surpassed six times in the last month. Leading up to the summer travel season, MSP recorded more than two million total passengers in May.
Passenger boardings at MSP increased to 62 percent of pre-pandemic levels in May, when the latest data was made available. By comparison, May 2020 passenger numbers were just 8 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
“Our terminals are growing busier, and there are peak hours on some days when passenger activity nears 2019 levels,” said Brian Ryks, CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which operates MSP. “We expect passenger activity to continue its recovery through the July 4 holiday weekend and beyond based on booking forecasts, increased flights and the resumption of more international service.”
Delta Air Lines’ non-stop route between MSP and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport will resume on July 7. It marks the ninth international route to return since the start of the pandemic. Delta has also resumed service to Amsterdam, Mexico City and Reykjavik in the last several months. Average scheduled daily departures for all flights at MSP for July increased to 421, up from 404 in June. That compares to 249 average daily departures in July of 2020. Departures are projected to increase to 432 per day in August.
Federal regulations still require all individuals to wear face coverings inside terminals and aboard aircraft. The health and safety of travelers, visitors and airport employees remains the focus of the airport’s Travel Confidently MSP program, which includes vigorous cleaning, access to hand sanitizing dispensers throughout the terminals and more than 200 protective barriers at major customer interaction points.
Travelers with children will be happy to hear that the play areas at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are open again, with cleaning schedules to keep the areas safe.
As the busy summer travel season continues, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reminds travelers that fireworks are prohibited in carry-on and checked bags. Licensed firearms may be transported in a checked bag, only after declaring them to the airline upon check-in, at which point they must be unloaded and packed in a locked, hard-sided container. For the latest information about what can and cannot be brought on an airplane, passengers can visit the TSA’s What Can I Bring? webpage.
MSP offers prebooked parking that not only guarantees a spot for customers, but also gives them a touchless experience by using a QR code from their online parking confirmation to enter and exit the structure. Prebooked customers can save $7 per day on daily parking at Terminal 1 when they book online and park between July 2 and 5.