MSP Airport preps for busy Thanksgiving travel week
MINNEAPOLIS -- It's a busy week of travel as millions are trying to make it on time for that Thanksgiving day meal.
Monday marks day four of MSP International Airport's 10-day peak travel period for the holiday. The airport said it's ready for the busiest days still to come.
Nationwide, AAA says more than 4.5 million Americans will be flying to their Thanksgiving destinations, which is up about 8% from last year.
MSP expects Thanksgiving holiday travel to be equal to or surpass 2021. On Wednesday, the airport expects 32,300 passengers to pass through TSA.
To handle the influx in passengers, there will be additional staff in MSP's ticketing lobbies during peak travel times to help direct passengers.
Airlines are also trying to prevent the cancellation chaos of last Thanksgiving and this past summer by adding more pilots and adjusting schedules But what still has some flyers frustrated is ticket prices that have jumped 43% from a year ago.
"They fluctuated quite a bit. We were watching very closely and then we finally just grabbed when they were the lowest that we thought they could go," traveler Jessica Peterson said.
To help ease any headaches, experts suggest getting to the airport two hours ahead of domestic flights and three hours if you're traveling internationally.
Above all, be patient and flexible.
"Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead. We've been planning our trip for two years," traveler Kelsey Schmidt said.
FLYING TIP: if you want to avoid the long lines at @mspairport get here at 6AM. The first picture was taken at 5:15am - day and night from what it looks like at 6:30am… #avoidtherush #letmehelpyou pic.twitter.com/X9Ukeokjyp
— Pauleen Le (@PauleenLe) November 21, 2022
Some other tips: If you're picking up at MSP, the airport's cellphone lot on Post Road is free and a good resource.
If you're parking at the airport, pre-booking can save you $7 a day at Terminal 1 and $2 at Terminal 2.
You can also bypass any lines for food by pre-ordering at the airport.
Of the nearly 55 million expected to travel this week, many will be traveling by car. AAA says the Minnesota average for a gallon of gas is $3.47 as of Monday morning, up more than 30 cents from a year ago.