Passengers at Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport will have access to two terminals. The buildings are completely separate from each other and each is on the opposite side of the airport.
Terminal 1 occupies a much larger footprint and hosts most of the major airlines, and is also better equipped with services.
Terminal 2 serves mostly low-cost airlines, which also corresponds to the poorer service facilities. The building is smaller and is often crowded with insufficient seating.
Which terminal?
Both terminals serve both international and domestic flights and are divided by airline.
Terminal 1
- Aer Lingus
- Air Canada
- Air France
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Delta
- Denver Air Connection
- KLM
- Lufthansa
- Spirit
- United
- Westjet
Terminal 2
- Allegiant
- Condor
- Frontier
- Icelandair
- JetBlue
- Southwest Airlines
- Sun Country Airlines
Airport map
An interactive map of the entire airport and each terminal can be found on the airport's official website: maps.mspairport.com.
Transfer between flights
Guaranteed transfers (connections on one ticket) are always within the same terminal and you won't have to move between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
Convenient transfers are more convenient at Terminal 2 as the building is much smaller, but Terminal 1 is also very clearly signposted.
What checks do I go through when changing planes?
Checks vary depending on the type of transfer.
- International -> International: immigration and security check
- International -> domestic: immigration and security check
- National -> international: no check
- National -> national: no check
Do I have to leave the transit zone when I transfer?
If you are arriving in Minneapolis/St. Paul on an international flight, you must always exit the transit zone to go through immigration. You will check in again and go through security into the transit area.
If you are arriving from another destination within the US, you can proceed directly to the connecting departure gate for both domestic and international flights.
How do I move between terminals?
If you combine a transfer in Minneapolis with the need to move between terminals on your own, you must always exit the transit zone.
There is no bus service on the tarmac between terminals.
To move between terminals, use the regular Metro line that runs all the way downtown.
The metro runs between the terminals 24/7 with an interval of 15-30 minutes, and transportation between the terminals is free.
Do I need to pick up my luggage?
If you are arriving at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport from out of town, you must always pick up your luggage and drop it off again at the check-in counter.
If you are flying from a destination within the U.S. and you have a layover of no more than 8 hours, your bag will be automatically transferred. It does not matter whether you continue on an international or domestic flight.
Do I need to apply for ESTA?
Every time you transfer from an international flight, you must collect your baggage and exit the transit area.
Therefore, you must have an electronic ESTA to enter the United States (for 21 usd online processing at the official website: esta.cbp.dhs.gov).
How long does the immigration check take?
If you arrive during off-peak hours, you can be in the public section in 30 minutes, but especially during the afternoon rush hour for arrivals from Europe or Asia, the immigration line can be longer than 1.5 hours.
If you have less than 1.5 hours to transfer, we recommend that you tell the informants that you have a tight transfer before you queue. In this case, you may be sent to the priority queue.
If you do not make your guaranteed connection due to the length of the immigration check, the airline will arrange the next flight free of charge. However, accommodation at the airline's expense will not be provided in these cases.
Do I go through passport control on departure?
No. There is no longer an immigration check on departure from the USA.
