Spring break travel season at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) kicks off each year on Presidents’ Day weekend, starting now.
To make sure your spring break trip goes as smoothly as possible, MSP Airport has tips to buy you some extra time and help you enjoy your travels.
As you head out to MSP, don’t forget you can use prebooked parking to guarantee a parking space for $2 less than daily drive-up rates. You can also use MSP Reserve to secure a spot in a TSA security line at Terminal 2, and it’s a free service.
This week, Thursday, Feb. 15 and Friday, Feb. 16 are expected to see additional passenger traffic tied to the holiday, as will Monday, Feb. 19. Moving into March — the busiest time of the spring break period — Thursdays and Sundays typically are the most popular days for travel.
MSP will have additional staff in the ticketing lobbies to direct passengers to appropriate lines and help with wayfinding and other questions. We still recommend that passengers arrive two hours ahead of domestic flights, three hours ahead of international flights, and suggest you stay in touch with your airline regarding your flight’s status.
If the inbound roadway at Terminal 1 gets crowded, remember that drivers can go up or down to the terminal’s departures or arrivals levels to pick up or drop off passengers. For pick-ups, also consider using the newly expanded 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, please visit the TSA’s tips for traveling with children and advice including what you can and cannot bring through security. You can also discover additional MSP resources to help you travel with confidence.
If you haven’t been to MSP in a while, there are a handful of new dining options for you to try. At the top of Concourse G near Gate G1, visit the CIBO Food Hall, with a wide range of choices. In the mornings, seek out Eggy Weggy and Poppy’s Bagels for breakfast favorites.
At 10:30 each morning, those restaurants transform to become Uptop Pizza and Custom Burgers. Uptop has made-to-order pizzas with margherita, spinach, sausage and other varieties. Custom Burgers’ menu also includes onion rings, cheese curds and hot dogs.
Out on Terminal 1’s mall, look for Northern Soul, which opened a few months ago to serve up the creations of renowned Minnesota chef Justin Sutherland. Or venture to the top of Concourse C to find a delicious, life-size T-Rex Cookie.
Plan ahead at MSP to make your spring break travel memorable!