MSP airport travelers: Expect a busier holiday than usual

Travelers at MSP
Travelers walk through the main concourse on February 1, 2009 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Airport officials are expecting 20 percent more travelers than usual moving through Terminal 2 this Thanksgiving travel season.
KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images

Thanksgiving will be busier than usual at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport this year.

While traffic in Terminal 1, its main terminal, is expected to be typical for the holiday travel rush, the airport anticipates nearly 20 percent more travelers moving through Terminal 2, the Humphrey Terminal, thanks to an uptick in flights from Spirit and Sun Country airlines.

"If you're flying from that terminal, be aware there will be lines," airport spokesman Pat Hogan said. "But there are now two security checkpoints there, so if one is really busy, check out the other one." Terminal 2 also has some new restaurants, he added.

Airport travelers needing help during the holiday can seek out the airport's green-vested navigators in the ticketing lobby. "If you have any questions, they can help direct you. They can also help you find the fastest security checkpoint," said Hogan.

The Thanksgiving holiday is typically the second busiest travel rush of the year at the airport, after the traditional school break in October. Many flights have been delayed on the East Coast because of bad weather, but most flights at the Twin Cities airport have been on schedule so far.

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