Thanksgiving travel rush is underway at MSP, record number of travelers expected
Passengers check in at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport the morning before Thanksgiving on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. Credit: KSTP-TV
Anyone traveling by plane to see loved ones this holiday weekend – or if you are picking up family and friends from the airport – should be ready for long lines.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport officials say they believe passenger levels will be up between 8-10% over last year. Passengers are being asked to arrive two hours early for domestic flights, or three hours ahead of your flight if you’re traveling overseas.
When it comes to travelers going through security, MSP is expected to break records at both of its terminals. Security officials expect on Thursday alone close to 50,000 people in Terminal One, and 16,000 in Terminal Two.
Passengers are also being urged to know what to leave out when packing your bags. Marty Robinson, Minnesota’s Federal Security Director, is encouraging people to unpack before you pack, and said prohibited items in carry-on bags slows down the security process.
Across the country, the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) is expecting more than 18 million people to be screened over the next week, which would be the busiest Thanksgiving travel week ever.
The weekend travel rush is expected to last until Monday.
If you want to speed up the security process, you can reserve a spot in the line through MSP reserve, which is free.
Another free thing is the cell phone lot on Post Road, which can be used for those waiting to pick up passengers.
Meanwhile, millions of people will be hitting the road to travel on Wednesday, and you’ll likely notice more law enforcement on highways across Minnesota.
It’s part of the Department of Public Safety’s heightened DWI enforcement for the holiday season. The department says more than 300 agencies will be participating in the effort, which will last through New Year’s Eve.
So far this year, the Minnesota State Patrol says more than 24,000 people have been arrested for impaired driving.
An interactive traffic map showing current conditions can be found below.