In Minnesota and across the country, this Thanksgiving may be the busiest travel season ever — whether you’re flying or driving to your holiday destination.
Travel has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, and then some. Just last month, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport had the second-busiest day in its history and it’s now bracing for a busy holiday week. And on roadways, AAA predicts a record number of Americans will travel by car this Thanksgiving.
Travelers should be prepared for gridlock, crowds and maybe some chaos; best to take it easy and pack some patience.
“Ten of the busiest days that the [Transportation Security Administration] and MSP have seen in the history of TSA have happened since May of this year,” Marty Robinson, TSA’s federal security director for Minnesota, said on Tuesday. “[Wednesday] and Sunday we are expecting record days again.”
What MSP travelers need to know:
Between Nov. 21 and this Tuesday, MSP will likely see some 468,000 people check in for flights and be screened by TSA agents. That’s a 10% increase over the same period last year, according to the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which owns and operates MSP.
The busiest days will be Wednesday and Sunday, when more than 49,000 people are expected to be screened on each day, MAC said in a news release. That’s in addition to connecting passengers at MSP and those arriving at the airport. Arrive at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours for international flights.
MAC CEO Brian Ryks says MSP’s passenger growth is up 8% so far this year, so it stands to reason Thanksgiving will be busy.
“This is the time of year where we make sure our teams and airport partners are fully staffed,” he said, noting that MAC crews are ready to respond to “adverse weather events,” if needed.