The Big Picture

The Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport is a great northern gateway and one of the main hubs of Northwest Airlines. MSP ranks ninth in the United States and 16th in the world in number of passengers served annually. The airport consistently wins industry and traveler awards for its regular updating and technical innovations.

MSP Best in Concession Design

International Parking Innovations Award Goes to MSP

IATA Pax Poll: MSP Best Large North Am Airport; Third Best in World

MSP Dominates World Airport Retail News Awards

USA Today recently did a good story on the airport, what to do and where to eat.

It is easy to navigate, well equipped with wi-fi and boasts a great central shopping arcade as well as many necessity shops on its various concourses. If you ever have to fly during winter weather, go through MSP - the airport has more snow removal equipment than the city of Detroit, and the runways are rarely closed.

The airport is made up of two terminals: the Lindbergh Terminal and the Humphrey Terminal. The comments on this page apply to the Lindbergh Terminal, since that is the one most connecting travelers experience. Lindbergh is the main terminal for most scheduled airlines (yes, Charles Lindbergh was from Minnesota). The separate Humphrey Terminal (named for Minnesota native son and former Vice President Hubert Humphrey) is almost exclusively used for charter and vacation airlines. The two terminals are connected by a free underground light rail system, which can take you in just minutes to the Mall of America (across the highway from the airport) or to downtown Minneapolis, which is a 20-minute ride. A map of the light rail system is below.

Places to Eat and Shop

MSP's Lindbergh Terminal has well over 100 shops and restaurants. Many are located in the main terminal shopping arcade, known as "Northstar Crossing." The others are scattered throughout the concourse. The food court in Northstar Crossing has a Burger King and all the usual fare - plus Chinese. Click here for information about the merchants, eateries and hours of operation for the main terminal and concourse shops and food locations.

Some restaurants of note:

• T.G.I. Friday's - Concourse C, Gate 10
• Jody Maroni's Gourmet Sausages - Concourse E, Gate 8
• D'Amico & Sons - Great locally based deli/caterer; stacked sandwiches are great, so is everything else
• Split Rock Bar and Grill - Northstar Crossing; you can get a good steak and a nice non-airport restaurant atmosphere
• Chili's Too - Northstar Crossing; provides a respite from announcements and airport cacaphony

Some shops of note:

• Gadgets to Go (?) - Northstar Crossing; not sure of the name, but it's an electronics/gadgets shop
• In-Motion DVDs and Videos - Northstar Crossing; DVDs (and a player if you need it); mail back from your next stop in a prepaid mailer
• Minnesota! and Spirit of the Red Horse - Northstar Crossing; two stores with lots of Native American and unique northwoods items
• Wilsons - Northstar Crossing; good leather item store with luggage, computer cases, wallets and what-not
• Bookstores - various locations; there are many bookstores in the terminal, some let you "trade-in" books previously purchased there for new ones

Wifi

Wifi is practically everywhere in the terminal and signs indicating Wifi points are clearly marked. For those without Wifi, Internet kiosks are available on Concourses C through G. Or, the two Northwest Worldclubs clubs in the airport have plug-in connectivity. Wifi services are operated by Concourse Communications, and the cost is $6.95 per 24 hour period. Go here for the full scoop on Wireless Access at MSP.

Getting Through Security

Tips for getting through security quickly

• There is a little-used security checkpoint all the way to the right (as you face the ticket counters) near Door 1. The lines are usually shorter there, but beware: if you are going to any gates in the F or G concourses, you will have a long trek through the entire length of the shopping area to get back to the right side of the terminal.
• There is also an entrance to the airport at the rental car center between Hertz and Avis. There is NEVER a line for security there. You must (1) be carrying your bags on and (2) have a boarding pass to use this entrance. There are NWA self-service kiosks there, but no other airlines. Depending on your gate, you may have a long walk, but it is still faster than taking the shuttle (and better exercise).

Parking

Tips for parking at this airport

• By far the best parking is the valet parking beneath the terminal building. It's heated and they will wash your car for $6. The cost is outrageous, though: max charge of $40 per day, unless you have or know someone with a handicapped parking permit. If you show them the permit when you park, the max charge drops to only $18 per day. Otherwise, you're stuck in the General Parking garage. After you park, take the elevator to the transportation level - you can check in there at a little used Northwest desk. (See "Other Comments" below.)
• If you are departing from Concourse C gates 7-27; Concourse G gates 14-22 or Concourses A or B - park in the Red or Blue Parking Ramps. From these two ramps, you can take the skyway to these gates and bypass the whole main terminal scene completely.

Clubs

• There are two large Northwest Worldclubs at MSP. They both have free Wifi, free cocktails and free food. Detailed info:

F/G Concourse

Entrance located at the beginning of the concourse; Capacity: 311

5:00a.m.-10:00p.m.

Phone 612-727-8124;

Fax 770-399-5329

Free Wifi

C Concourse, next to gate C12

Phone 612-727-9651;

Fax 770-399-5329

Capacity: 172

5:00a.m.-10:00p.m.

Free Wifi

Northwest Worldclubs have agreements with many other airline lounges. Check here for a complete list.

Killing a few Hours

Ideas for how to spend a few hours of delay or layover

• If the already ample possibilites of the airport don't suit you, go to the nearby Mall of America where you can spend days shopping or have fun in the indoor amusement park. It's only a short ride away by light rail transit. One of the largest IKEA stores in the U.S. is also nearby.

Other Comments

Other local commentary worth knowing about this airport:

• On the transportation level under the terminal is a full-service Northwest ticket counter, where you can check luggage. It's a lot less crazy than the main ticketing level and it's only steps away from the train from the general parking garages and the valet parking garage.
• If you're traveling through MSP it's likely you're on Northwest. Be sure to avail yourself of their fantastic internet check-in and email/wireless flight notification services. I believe you can even check your luggage (print bag tags) online now.
• Great Airport Conference Center - MSP has a really top-notch conference center available for rental. Good for holding fly-in/fly-out meetings without leaving the airport.
• If you are departing from Concourse C gates 8-27), or Concourse A or B - be sure to consider using the tram. C is an extremely long concourse and even with moving walkways it will take forever to walk.