 Beginning Oct. 29, travelers flying between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Japan will use Tokyo’s Haneda Airport instead of the Narita Airport.
The new route follows a decision by the U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this month to award Delta Air Lines a daily, direct flight between MSP and Haneda.
“We’re pleased to see Delta’s continued investment in service between Minnesota and Asia and that MSP International will serve as a connecting point for passengers from many U.S. cities,” said Brian Ryks, Executive Director and CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission.
The route decision by the U.S. Department of Transportation follows an aviation agreement between the U.S. and Japan, reached in February, which opened up five daytime routes for U.S. carriers at Haneda airport.
Previously, only night slots were available to U.S. airlines at Haneda.
The Haneda slots are desirable for U.S. carriers in part because the airport is close to Tokyo’s business district and transit connections via monorail and train. The airport at Narita, which has been Delta’s destination out of MSP for many years, is nearly 40 miles from central Tokyo.
Delta Air Lines’ new nonstop flight between MSP and Haneda will be fed by more than 110 cities in the U.S.
Delta will also fly direct to Haneda from Los Angeles International Airport, a route that will be fed by 35 U.S. cities.
Other U.S. cities served by Delta will still have flights to the Narita airport, including Seattle, Portland, Detroit and Atlanta.
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 The opening of Republic -- a craft beer bar, scratch kitchen and live music venue -- at MSP Airport also brings the possibility of getting out of town for a couple of nights.
The public is invited to enter a sweepstakes to win two tickets to Republic's grand opening party on Friday, Oct. 14. Guests will want to pack a bag and bring it with them to the event, because in the first hour one lucky attendee and guest will win a trip to a mystery music destination. Airfare, hotel and concert tickets are included, and the winners will depart directly from the party.
So get ready to pack. And visit the Fly magazine web page announcing the "Suitcase Party," where you can register to win an invite to the grand opening and your chance to escape.
Be sure to get your entry in by Sunday, Sept. 25 at 11:59 p.m.
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Terminal 2 continued to see a strong increase in passenger traffic in the first seven months of 2016.
For the January-July period, the passenger count at Terminal 2 was 2.57 million, a 5.4 percent increase from the same period of 2015.
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Above: An expansion of Terminal 2, shown here during construction, will be unveiled this fall.
Total aircraft operations were up 3.7 percent in the same period.
International flights are up as well at Terminal 2, with international passenger counts up 12.2 percent in the first seven months of 2016, said Scott Skramstad, manager of Terminal 2 operations/facilities.
Traffic to spring break destinations served by Sun Country Airlines helped fuel the trend. Icelandair and Condor Airlines have also increased their international flight operations.
Looking ahead, Sun Country will add two new aircraft and have 30-40 departures per day during peak days this winter, with new winter routes to Denver and West Palm Beach.
Icelandair is also expanding its schedule and will now have flights operating year-round. Southwest Airlines will have 28 departures daily this winter during the season's peak, including a seasonal route to Ft. Lauderdale starting in January.
In the March-May period of 2017, Southwest will add seasonal daily service to Ft. Myers, and once-per-week service to Orlando and Tampa.
To help meet the growing demand at Terminal 2, next month four new gates are opening.
That continues the steady growth in the terminal’s size, as 239,000 square feet have been added since 2009 – a 60 percent increase.
 The new Hudsons in the Terminal 1 Airport Mall.
A number of new
concessions opened recently at MSP International, offering everything from
treats to jewelry. Here’s what’s new:
North Loop
Pre-flight
treats and essentials, including reading material, snacks, toiletries,
souvenirs and more. Located in the Terminal 1
Airport Mall.
Swarovski’s
Unique
silver jewelry and giftware. Also handbags and artisan glass pieces. Terminal 1
Airport Mall.
Prairie
Midwest-inspired newsstand with all the
essentials: reading material, snacks, souvenirs and more. Located on Concourse
C near Gate 4, Terminal 1.
Hudsons
Stock up on
magazines, newspapers, snacks and travel essentials. Located in the Terminal 1 Airport Mall and another location in Terminal 2 as well.
 In anticipation of the addition of Stone Arch -- the new craft beer bar at MSP International Airport -- beer enthusiasts were asked to participate in an online poll.
The voters picked five Minnesota breweries to create an exclusive MSP Airport beer for the grand opening, set for next month. The online poll closed earlier this month, and the deserving winners include some well-known names.
The winners are listed below, with links to their websites:
Indeed Brewing Co., based in Northeast Minneapolis.
Insight Brewing, located on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis near Hwy. 280.
56 Brewing, also in Northeast Minneapolis.
South Fork Brewing Co., from Delano, Minn.
Modist Brewing Co., located in Minneapolis' North Loop.
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