MSP Airport Has Two Terminals You Can’t Walk Between. Here’s How to Make Sure You Go to the Right One

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Choosing between MSP Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 matters more than at most airports. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has two separate terminal buildings, with separate entrance roads, separate parking, and no walkway between them. If you go to the wrong one, you’ll need to take a train or a shuttle to the other.

Here’s how to make sure you get to the right one. Check your airline first. Fifteen passenger airlines serve MSP: 11 are at Terminal 1 and four are at Terminal 2. Delta, United, American, Alaska, Air Canada, and most international carriers use Terminal 1. Sun Country, Southwest, Frontier, and Icelandair use Terminal 2. Confirm the terminal on your boarding pass or in your airline’s app, and enter the terminal’s street address in your GPS rather than just “MSP Airport.” If you still end up in the wrong place, the light rail between the terminals is free and runs 24 hours a day.

During the holidays, when traffic and security lines are longer, going to the wrong terminal can cost you a flight. A few minutes of checking before you leave home prevents that.

How to Make Sure You Go to the Right Terminal

Here’s how to do it, step by step.

Know which airlines are where

Terminal 1, also called the Lindbergh Terminal, is the larger and busier terminal. It’s Delta’s main hub, and it serves these airlines:

• Aer Lingus
• Air Canada
• Air France
• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Denver Air Connection
• A seasonal German leisure airline from the Lufthansa Group
• KLM
• United Airlines
• WestJet

Terminal 2, also called the Humphrey Terminal, is smaller. It serves:

• Frontier Airlines
• Icelandair
• Southwest Airlines
• Sun Country Airlines

Airlines sometimes move between terminals, so check MSP’s airlines page shortly before your trip.

Check your boarding pass and app

Your boarding pass, confirmation email, or airline app may show the terminal. If it doesn’t, the airline’s name is enough to figure it out from the list above.

Watch out for partner flights

If you booked a flight with one airline but it’s operated by another, go to the terminal of the airline actually operating the flight. For example, if you booked through Delta but the flight is operated by Air France, both are at Terminal 1, so it doesn’t matter. But for less common combinations, check the “operated by” line on your itinerary.

Use the right address

The terminals have separate addresses:

• Terminal 1: 4300 Glumack Drive, St. Paul, MN 55111.
• Terminal 2: 7150 Humphrey Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55450.

Type the full address into your GPS. Typing just “MSP” or “Minneapolis airport” may send you to the wrong terminal.

Tell your ride

If someone is dropping you off or picking you up, or you’re taking a taxi or rideshare, tell them which terminal you need. Rideshare apps usually ask you to choose a terminal.

What to Do If You Go to the Wrong MSP Terminal 1 or Terminal 2

If you realize you’re at the wrong terminal, don’t panic. Here’s how to get to the other one.

Take the light rail

The METRO Blue Line light rail stops at both terminals, and riding between them is free. No ticket is needed for travel between the airport stations, and the inter-terminal service runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• At Terminal 1, the light rail station is below the Red and Blue parking ramps. From the Tram Level, one level below bag claim, take the tram to the ramps, then follow signs to the station.
• At Terminal 2, the station is on the north side of the Orange Ramp. From Level 1, near Ticketing, go up to the Orange Ramp skyway, follow the signs, and go down one level to the platform.

Trains run roughly every 10 to 15 minutes at busy times and less often late at night. Overnight, there may be shuttles instead of trains, so follow the signs.

Use the inter-terminal shuttle

MSP offers a free shuttle between terminals for travelers with mobility challenges, older travelers, parents with young children, and others who need help. The shuttle has a wheelchair lift and runs about every 20 minutes during the day. At night, you can call for on-demand service. At Terminal 2, it picks up on Level 1 of the Purple Ramp. At Terminal 1, follow the overhead signs to the shuttle pickup on Level 1 of the parking ramps.

Allow extra time

Switching terminals takes time: walking to the station, waiting for the train, riding, and walking to the other terminal’s ticketing area. Plan for at least 20 to 30 minutes, more if you have lots of luggage or small children, and you’ll still need to check bags and go through security at the new terminal.

If you’re driving

If you’re driving and realize you’re headed to the wrong terminal, the roads to the two terminals are separate. Follow the airport signs to your terminal, and allow extra time.

Connecting Between Terminals

Most connections at MSP happen within Terminal 1, since Delta uses it as a hub. But if you’re connecting from a Terminal 1 airline to a Terminal 2 airline, such as from Delta to Sun Country on separate tickets, you’ll need to leave security, take the light rail, and go through security again at Terminal 2. Allow several hours for that kind of connection, especially during the holidays.

Holiday Travel Tips for MSP

• Give yourself extra time during Thanksgiving week, the days before Christmas, and the weekend after New Year’s.
• Check your airline’s recommendation for arrival times, especially if you’re checking bags.
• Look up MSP’s parking options before you go. Each terminal has its own ramps, and holiday parking fills up.
• Watch the weather. Minnesota winters can bring snow, ice, and de-icing delays.
• If you’re picking someone up, use the cell phone waiting lot instead of circling the terminal.

What Each Terminal Is Like

Knowing a little about each terminal helps you plan your time once you’re there.

Terminal 1 (Lindbergh)

Terminal 1 is large, with several concourses, labeled A through G, and more than 100 gates. Because it’s Delta’s hub, it’s busy all day, with many connecting passengers. It has a wide selection of restaurants, shops, and services, including the shopping area around the central mall between the concourses. Walking from security to the far end of a concourse can take 15 minutes or more, so check your gate and allow time.

Security checkpoints at Terminal 1 can have long lines during peak times. Check MSP’s website or app for wait times, and use TSA PreCheck or CLEAR if you have it.

Terminal 2 (Humphrey)

Terminal 2 is much smaller, with a little over a dozen gates in one concourse. It serves mostly leisure and low-cost airlines. It’s generally easier to get through, but lines can still be long during busy times, especially when several Sun Country or Southwest flights leave close together in the early morning or around holidays. Sun Country, based in Minnesota, runs many flights from Terminal 2 to warm-weather destinations in winter.

Parking

Each terminal has its own parking ramps. Terminal 1 parking includes several ramps connected to the terminal by trams and walkways. Terminal 2 has ramps right next to the building. If you park at one terminal and fly from the other, you’ll need the light rail to get back to your car when you return, so park at the terminal you’re flying from.

Picking Up a Traveler at MSP

If you’re picking up family for the holidays, check which terminal they’re arriving at, using the same airline list. Many arguments at the curb begin with someone waiting at the wrong building.

• Ask the traveler to text you when they land and again when they have their bags.
• Use the cell phone lot while you wait. Signs direct you to it from the airport roads.
• Follow the signs for arrivals at the correct terminal.
• If you end up at the wrong terminal, don’t try to drive between them quickly in heavy traffic. Ask the traveler to take the light rail to you instead, if that’s easier.

If You’re Flying Out of MSP on a Holiday Morning

Holiday mornings at MSP can be busy, especially at Terminal 1. Arrive early, give yourself time to park and get through security, and know which concourse your gate is in. At Terminal 2, early-morning departures to warm-weather destinations can create long security lines. Arrive at least two hours before your flight if you’re checking bags, and check the airport’s website for current security wait times before you leave home.

Returning to MSP

When you fly back into MSP, you’ll arrive at the terminal your airline uses, which may not be the one where you parked if you flew out on a different airline. Check before you head to the parking ramp, and take the free light rail if your car is at the other terminal.

The Bottom Line on MSP Terminal 1 or Terminal 2

At MSP, the airline you fly decides the terminal you need. Delta and most others are at Terminal 1; Sun Country, Southwest, Frontier, and Icelandair are at Terminal 2. Check your boarding pass, use the right address, and tell your driver. If you still end up in the wrong place, take the free light rail and allow extra time.