MSP Airport officials prepare for the holiday travel rush

Officials at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are already preparing for the upcoming holiday travel rush.

Last month, airports across the country reported a pandemic record in travel during Thanksgiving weekend, with more than 10 million passengers taking to the sky.

MSP Airport officials expect 34,000 to 36,000 travelers each day during the weeks of Christmas and the New Year.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials remind travelers not to pack oversized liquid containers and not to wrap those presents. Instead, use gift bags.

"If people unpack before they pack, that’s the best advice I can give them," Marty Robinson, federal security director of Minnesota, said. "Make sure there’s not prohibited items in your bag because once that happens, that slows the lines down."

TSA officials say, because of COVID-19, they’ve also been working on a no-touch policy. Travelers might have noticed TSA won’t be taking their tickets anymore. Instead, travelers will be scanning them with a reader.

MSP Airport officials are implementing other sanitary steps, including having travelers check their own baggage, plus airport officials say they have installed hundreds of hand sanitizing stations and partitions for flyers to stay safe.

MSP Airport officials also recommend going mobile to avoid germs.

"Download your flight information, make sure your ticket is on your mobile device if you so choose," MSP Chief Operating Officer Roy Fuhrmann said. "You can also pre-park or pre-book, make that a seamless activity as well."

The federal mask mandate is also in place, so travelers are advised not to forget that before heading to the airport. And, of course, plan for extra time to get through security.