MSP Airport expecting 40K travelers as MEA break begins
MINNEAPOLIS -- It's set to be a busy day at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
MEA break is finally here and a lot of Minnesotans have the same idea: let's get the heck out of here. MSP said it treats this weekend like a holiday.
The airport says Thursday will be the busiest departure day of the week, with about 40,000 passengers expected to check in and clear TSA checkpoints.
That's the highest it's been in a while, but still not as high as pre-pandemic levels. Before COVID, MSP saw about 10-15% more travelers on MEA weekend.
Regardless, it's a spike compared to what they've seen this fall so far.
"To us, this is just another holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas, so we're really prepared, much like our airlines and the TSA, because it's such a tradition," MSP spokesperson Jeff Lea said. "Thursday's going to be probably the biggest departure day for the week, and interestingly enough, on the return, a lot of people will be coming back on Sunday, and so that means that we'll have the lower level, the baggage claims that'll be very busy."
If you are one of the 40,000 expected to make your way to the airport this morning, and it's been a while since you've hopped on a plane, have no fear.
"We imagine that there's a lot of families that haven't traveled in a while, given that the pandemic, this may be the first time they're finding the opportunity and the confidence to travel," Lea said. "We want to make sure that they feel confident when they travel. One of the best ways, if they're driving, they're planning to park, they can pre-book online to guarantee a space if there are spaces in the garage, they can do that online. Pay now, pay at home, and then make sure they have a spot when they get here."
The airport said more staff are on hand Thursday to help with the travel rush.