As March approaches, Upper Midwest travelers start to seek sunny locales, and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is ready to see them off in style.
Last year saw record passenger numbers for the spring beak period at MSP, and it appears another record is on tap in 2020, with the heaviest peaks anticipated to occur on Fridays and Saturday mornings.
During this busy season, additional passenger assistants will help direct travelers in the ticketing areas and assist with non-screening-related activities at security checkpoints, enabling Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff to focus on screening travelers.
If you’re among those traveling in March, ensure a good start to your vacation by following these tips:
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Book your parking ahead of time. With record numbers of people parking, ramps could fill to capacity. You can ensure access to parking at MSP and save money by pre-booking parking at MSP’s website, www.mspairport.com.
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Know which terminal your airline uses before you head to the airport. Condor, Icelandair, jetBlue, Southwest and Sun Country are located at Terminal 2. All others provide service from Terminal 1.
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Arrive at the airport at least two hours ahead of time for domestic departures, three hours ahead for international destinations. Giving yourself plenty of time is a great way to reduce stress.
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Consider all your security checkpoint options. In addition to Terminal 1’s two largest checkpoints in the ticketing lobby, people with only carry-on items can also use two others: Checkpoint 10 (which recently expanded to two security lanes) is located on the skyway level between the Red and Blue parking ramps and open Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.; and the checkpoint at the InterContinental Hotel MSP Airport is open to all travelers with only carry-on items, whether or not they are hotel guests, from 4:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily.
>>READ MORE SPRING BREAK TIPS HERE
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 Prince fans have yet another tribute to the famous Minnesota-based artist at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
In January, a 16-foot by 24-foot mural of the music legend was installed on the Tram Level of MSP’s Terminal 1 below the Blue and Red parking ramps and will be on display for a year.
"It’s almost like seeing him perform on stage," said Sam Fuentes, exhibitions coordinator for Arts@MSP, a program of the Airport Foundation MSP and funded by the Metropolitan Airports Commission, who helped arrange and install the exhibit. "It's a perfect perspective."
The work was created by artist Rock Martinez, who began his career as a graffiti artist in Tucson, Ariz., but has since become a well-known muralist in the tradition of Mexico-born artist Diego Rivera with studios in both Tucson and the Twin Cities.
“I'm a huge Prince fan – I grew up on old rock,” said the 40-year-old Martinez. “Prince and Michael Jackson were everything to me.”
Although Martinez has painted murals in high traffic areas before, they pale in comparison with the tens of millions of people who pass through MSP Airport every year. So that guarantees the mural will be seen in the city Prince made famous with his “Minneapolis sound.”
“I love that this piece made it back to Minneapolis where it should be,” said Martinez.
The new mural is located pre-security on the Tram level between the Blue and Red Parking Ramps at Terminal 1 and accessible via the Metro Blue Line. Postcards of the mural are available at the Information Booth on the Tram Level.
>>READ MORE
Peoples Organic
Peoples Organic full-service restaurant & bar is now open in the North Rotunda of the Airport Mall, just inside the North Security Checkpoint.
The restaurant, which has a strong local following, greets guests with a stunning living green wall and the connected Mindful Market Express, which features organic snacks, fruits & coffees.
Peoples Organic celebrates the simplicity of nutritious and organic food, along with healthy beverages. The menu includes vegetarian, vegan & gluten-free organic options packed with nutritious vegetables, whole grains and proteins.
Customer favorites include the Buddha Bowl, Breakfast Burrito (breakfast is served all day), Earth Wings, Chicken & Goat Cheese Ciabatta, a Turkey Burger and house-made desserts. Peoples Organic’s fair trade coffee is also a popular draw.
The full bar boasts a large selection of Wake-Me-Up Cocktails, Classic & Specialty Cocktails, craft beers (including popular Minnesota-made offerings), plus bio-dynamic wines and no-alcohol beverages.
Stop in the next time you’re at MSP for your favorite healthy meal or beverage.
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The Cocktail Room
For travelers flying out of Concourse A at MSP, inspiration awaits at The Cocktail Room at 18th & Central.
The new full-service bar near Gate A10 opened recently as a partnership between concessionaire HMSHost and the popular Northeast Minneapolis distillery, Tattersall. The bar’s delicious cocktails use the distillery’s products, including gin, vodka, whiskey, rum and a variety of other liqueurs.
Additionally, menu items include smoked salmon, lemon pepper wings, house-made onion dip and chicken bacon flatbread. A to-go cooler also provides passengers the option of a quick purchase on the way to their gate.
The Cocktail Room offers a relaxed atmosphere and views of the airfield and a portion of Historic Ft. Snelling. In coming months, a vintage video game room will open adjacent to the new bar.
Concourse A is located at the end of Concourse C, and can be reached by a brief tram ride. The Cocktail Room is then a short walk down the concourse.
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If you’re looking for a job, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is looking for you. The airport has hundreds of jobs available at a variety of skill and experience levels.
The airport is hosting a job fair on Tuesday, Feb. 25 that job-seekers won’t want to miss. Dozens of employers will be represented.
The fair at a glance:
- Part time, full time, and seasonal jobs
- All shifts available: morning, evening, overnight
- All skill levels
- Hospitality, restaurant, retail, hotel, airline, and aviation-related positions
- Great starting wages and full benefits available
- Bring your resume and apply on-site
- Some employers hiring on the spot
- Find out how you can become part of MSP Airport's thriving employee community! Checkout current job openings on mspairport.com/jobs
Location: Terminal 2 at MSP Airport, 7150 Humphrey Dr., Mpls., MN 55450
Date and Time: Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Transportation: The job fair location at Terminal 2 is a short walk from the Blue Line LRT Station. You can also take the Route 54 bus to Terminal 1 and then catch the LRT to Terminal 2.
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The Lost and Found office at MSP Airport’s Terminal 1 is moving soon to a new location.
Starting the morning of Friday, Feb. 21, the office will still be in Terminal 1, but located on the Valet level.
Elevators in the middle of Terminal 1's ticketing and baggage claim levels serve the Valet level, which is just a few steps up from the tram level.
Turn to your left after exiting the elevators on the valet level to reach Lost and Found.
The Lost and Found office was formerly located behind the Frontier Airlines ticket counter in the ticketing lobby.
MSP’s Lost and Found operation receives up to 10,000 lost items per year, and has an excellent record of reuniting people with their belongings.
More information about MSP’s Lost and Found office and how to file a claim online is available on this webpage.
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The clock keeps ticking toward the deadline for obtaining a REAL ID – are you ready?
On Oct. 1 of 2020, everyone 18 and older flying out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport will need a REAL ID or its equivalent to pass through security and board a plane.
Officials are encouraging Minnesota residents who apply for a REAL ID to use an online registration tool before they visit their local driver’s license office.
The application process requires more documentation than Minnesotans have come to expect when renewing their standard driver’s license or an ID card.
A significant number of Minnesotans will be unable to fly after October 1 unless they have a REAL ID, enhanced driver’s license or ID, passport or passport card.
A standard Minnesota driver’s license will not be accepted for air travel or other federal uses as of Oct. 1. A full list of the Transportation Security Administration’s acceptable forms of ID can be found here.
Don’t delay. Apply today!
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 MSP Airport’s focus on service starts with frontline employees who interact daily with airport customers -- and concession (food + beverage, services, and retail) employees are some of its most valued.
To recognize leaders who set a high bar for customer service this past year, the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) recently honored top concessionaires with its 5-Star Service Awards.
The awards are given out annually in seven categories to the venues whose employees score highest as a group in the airport’s “Secret Shopper” program. The shoppers are hired by an independent firm that contracts with the MAC to visit shops and restaurants, measuring the quality of customer service.
MSP’s Aero Service Group (ASG) is the newly minted “Merchant of the Year” at MSP. The operator of several concessions at MSP, including the popular Stone Arch restaurant and bar, runs its business like a street-side restaurant, said Liz Grzechowiak, the MAC’s assistant director of concessions and business development. ASG pays special attention to its regular customers, updates menus frequently and has an active social media presence, she said.
>>Read more about the other winners here
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