Spring break rush begins at MSP Airport

A day after the biggest snowstorm of the season hit the Twin Cities, many are making a getaway, presumably to warmer and sunny destinations.

The spring break rush is on at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport where, starting Thursday and running through Sunday, as many as 192,000 travelers will pass through security checkpoints.

“The spring break travel season is out of the gate early this year, with higher-than-normal daily passenger volumes expected well into April,” said Brian Ryks, CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which owns and operates the airport. “We’ve had extensive coordination with our team, our airlines, federal partners, and others to bolster staffing levels and help us assist travelers passing through MSP in the coming weeks.”

Another busy four-day crush at MSP will occur March 20-23 when an estimated 47,000 people a day will require screening, the MAC said.

As passenger traffic at MSP this month jumps by 20% compared with February, departures from the airport will rise, too. During March, 432 flights a day will take off from the airport compared with 396 in February, the MAC said.

Similar scenes will play out nationwide, with airports bracing for a 5% increase in passenger traffic between Thursday and March 24, the Transportation Security Administration said.

U.S. airlines expect to carry 173 million passengers from March 1 to April 30 — up 4% from the same time last year, according to the advocacy group Airlines for America.

With longer lines at checkpoints expected, the TSA is telling travelers to arrive early, have a valid ID and “follow TSA guidelines to expedite the process.”

The agency also has a text message line for passengers with questions about what can and can’t be packed in carry-on bags. The number is 275-872 (“AskTSA”).

At MSP, the ticketing lobby in both terminals will be busiest between 4 and 8 a.m. with another bump during afternoons, the MAC said.

This year, a new express drop-off and pickup lane in addition to a curbside option is available at the Purple Ramp at Terminal 2. A skybridge connects the ramp to the terminal.

Terminal 2 travelers will also see the TSA precheck lines have moved to checkpoint 2.

At Terminal 1, signs on both ends of the terminal display how long it will take to get through security checkpoints. The north checkpoint often has shorter wait times, the MAC said.

Officials suggest arriving at the airport two hours before departure time. To make things easier, the airport has a program called MSP Reserve, which allows travelers to book a specific time to pass through security. The program is free.

Travelers can also reserve parking to be guaranteed a spot as ramps tend to fill up.

Flying to spring break destinations is more expensive this year compared with 2024, according to the travel app Hopper. The average round-trip domestic ticket this year is $280, up 4% compared with this time last year.

Airfares will be highest during the weeks of March 17 and March 31, according to Expedia.