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Minneapolis St Paul Airport Passenger Reviews and Traveller Reports
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MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 26 July 2012 by Veda Zuponcic (USA) |
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Rating : 5/10 |  |
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The airport itself is good, trying to find the place if you are not a city resident is another story. I fly into the
Twin Cities about 4 times a year to go north. I get out easily enough, but coming back into the city is almost
always a nightmare; even with GPS. Every major city I know has airport signage about 15 or 20 miles out of
the city - giving you both directions and some peace of mind that you are on the right track. The only airport
sign I ever find in MSP is about a mile from the airport - while we're busy doing detours. Last week, I was
driven to the airport from the Range and we were following GPS. We gave ourselves an extra hour. Missed the
flight, partially because of very nice but insanely thorough security guards who made my daughter-in-law
open all of her baby food, confiscated the ice pack in her cold container for the baby's milk and basically held
up everyone for about an extra 20 minutes.
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MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 10 May 2012 by J Roberts (USA) |
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Rating : 2/10 |  |
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I would love to tell you about my experience in the airport, but we never got to see it. We arrived from
overseas with 2 hours + to make our connecting domestic flight. We spent the entire time waiting in the
passport control line, where 4 officers one by one checked the entry documents for over 400 people from
varying airlines. And we were in the "US passport holders" line! We finally cleared passport control, then
customs, and ran across the airport only to miss our flight by five minutes. What I can't believe is why they
seemed so overwhelmed with the number of passengers. It's not like these planes are showing up without
notice or anything. In my lone experience, I would not enter the US or make connecting international flights
through Minneapolis St. Paul until the US Border Patrol there changes their service.
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MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 19 November 2011 by J Craven (USA) |
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Rating : 5/10 | |
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Parking at Terminal 2 is unacceptable and poorly communicated. Arriving at Lindbergh only to find out you
need to go nearly two miles away, park, take the escalator, take the light rail, take the tram just makes the
hassle of air travel worse. The parking seems to be more about the convenience of maintenance for MSP
than for the convenience of the traveler. Lots of holiday decorations and heaven knows, lots of
advertisements, but give me moving walkways that work, reasonable queues and most important - on-time
departures and arrivals!
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MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 25 July 2011 by M Jackson (UK)
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |
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I have been to MSP a couple of times and departing has never been a problem, the service is very efficient and
security has never been an issue. On arrival I was disappointed with how I was treated. I come to Minneapolis to
visit a friend twice a year, and stay for no more than 3 weeks. I was treated as if I intended to stay illegally and
was made to feel guilty for something I had no intention of doing. I know these people are only doing their jobs,
but when I connected through Chicago I was never subjected to such interrogation. I was welcomed with a smile
and a very friendly "welcome to America". I have to admit, it puts me off wanting to fly direct to Minneapolis again.
MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 7 June 2010 by Nick Engen (USA)
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |
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We arrived late for a connection flight. We had 20 minutes to get to the next gate all the way
on the other side of the airport. I would recommend that you have more than 2 hours for
connection time. The airport is messed up and very hard to get around. We never made it to our
destination.
MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 16 February 2010 by John Doe (USA)
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Customer Rating : 1/5 |
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In a nutshell, never take a connection flight to this airport without leaving at least 2 hours
in between connections or else you will have to due a little workout in the airport just to
get from one terminal to the other while looking at the watch and crossing fingers. And if you
miss your flight you will have to beg Delta airlines to rebook you, that's of course if you
find someone in the terminal to rebook you. Just imagine a large gym with people sprinting all
over and there you have it, Minneapolis airport.
MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 2 February 2010 by G Kramer (USA)
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Customer Rating : 4/5 |
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I have been quite satisfied with my experiences at MSP. I must agree that some of the
concourses (C especially) seem quite long, but it never hurt anyone to walk a little bit
(there are moving sidewalks for a good part of the C concourse anyway if walking isn't your
thing). The signage within the airport is quite good, and it is a very clean airport. Can't
say much about the retail options as I've never understood shopping at airports. I feel the
food options are rather good. Others have pointed out the fact that it can be a bit pricey to
fly out of MSP, but I have found there to be much fewer delays at MSP than at O'Hare. It's
nice to have the non-stop options that Delta provides. The three daily non-stops to Amsterdam
are wonderful for connecting to many cities in Europe.
MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 16 December 2009 by E Ferwerda
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
The size of MSP and the length of some concourses (especially G and C) are rightly (in)famous;
there is, however, a little-known way for departing passengers to deal with this. There is a
pedestrian bridge between Concourses G and C over the access road; the middle of this bridge
can be accessed directly from the Red and Blue parking ramps. Security and check-in can be
done here, but baggage check cannot be. NOTE: Only Northwest/Delta passengers can check in
here. It would be possible for arriving passengers to leave security here and then take the
tram from the parking ramps to the main terminal to pick up baggage, but whether this would be
faster than walking the concourses I cannot say.
MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 14 October 2009 by Neil Ramsay
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Checked in around midday for a late afternoon NWA flight. No crowds, fast simple kiosk check
in and very helpful bag drop lady. Only one place to eat landside so decided to go thru
security (quick, easy and pleasant) and find a restaurant/fast food outlet. Plenty of places
to eat and drink airside. It is a deceptively big airport and some gates involve a long walk.
But there are plenty of moving footways and an electric cart pick up service at specific
points around the concourses. Signage was clear, departure info everywhere, toilets clean,
plenty of empty gate lounges to 'get away' from the throng for a while. Some gates become
quite crowded just before departures. Pleasant experience overall.
MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 18 April 2009 : by D Wlaschin
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Customer Rating : 3/5 |  |
The airport is aesthetically beautiful, but it is not set up for easy access to other
concourses/gates, and baggage, this is especially true for those on small commuter planes that
use the B and C concourses. After flying packed like sardines in planes not designed to
accomodate anyone over 5'5" and 150"s, you then have to walk from, what feels like downtown
St. Paul, to get to the main concourse. If you need to go to another concourse you are
hopeful that you have the time or are phsyically able to do so. The main point of this is
don't ever count on the Tram on Concourse C to be working. In the last 4 months the times I
have flown, which is often, I have been able to use the tram 3 times. Landing yesterday,
4-16-2009 at gate B 13, I found out that it will be down for at least 10 days to replace the
cable sytem. Which is wonderful if it was well used and several years old but it is less than
5 years old I believe! Again if you are training for a marathon you will love the airport.
If not be prepared to walk, or if late run!
MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review :
18 February 2009 : by A Sharma
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Customer Rating : 3/5 | |
What makes MSP not bad is security always moves fast no matter how crowded. All the check in
counters are within one roof and the concourse are connected which means no need to take any
trams (although that option is still there if you dont want to walk a whole lot). It is
spacious than most of the airport I have been to like Phoenix, Vegas, LAX etc. Shops are
decent. Baggage are is not all that posh but not dirty either. You can pick up your bag
without much hassel and be on your way. The best part is the ground transportation. You have
light rail that you can take.
MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 31 October 2008 : by Kevin McDougald
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
Travelling from Canada to Europe via Minneapolis/St. Paul was less trouble than experienced.
Outbound, most Canadian passengers can take advantage of U.S. Customs and Immigration pre-clearance,
which is a fairly painless experience at smaller airports such as Winnipeg, and go straight to their
connecting flight on arrival. Clearing U.S. Customs and Immigration on the way back to Canada was a
breeze at MSP thanks to short lineups and affable staff. There's a good selection of airside stores
and restaurants, too. Ubiquitous TVs tuned in to CNN are a mixed blessing: they just add to the din
at a crowded gate, but if you can find an empty gate, you can stretch out, relax and watch the news
while waiting for your connecting flight.
MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIRPORT customer review : 7 July 2008 : by Emmet Ferwerda
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Customer Rating : 4/5 | |
This has been my home airport for several years. Downsides: size (I suggest at least 60 minutes
between flights), price (Northwest's fault, not the airport), lack of airside transportation between
terminals, and not enough shops/food landside. Also, the baggage claims are old and can easily back
up (I heard recently that they will be replaced in the near future). Now for the good parts. Plenty
of diverse, reasonably priced shopping and food airside and clear signage throughout. The
Customs/Immigration staff, while not overly friendly, were very professional and reasonably quick.
Also, I have never seen security or (Northwest) bag check lines longer than 10-15 minutes). There is
an easy, fast light-rail connection to/from downtown Minneapolis. There is also a separate
underground tram from the parking ramps to the terminal, eliminating the need to carry your bags
outside. The entire facility is clean and well-lit. For those with a 2-3 hour layover, there is a
little-known observation tower in Concourse D (go to the block in the center of the concourse and
all the way up the stairs) which is usually uncrowded and a very nice place to relax. Overall, it
can be large and expensive but it is otherwise redeemed by atmosphere and ease of use.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by K Wild
5 July 2008 Customer Rating : 
I had a connection flight through MSP to Mason City, IA, a city served with only three daily
flights. Even though I had arrived some 15 minutes late inbound from Newark, I still assumed I had
enough time to make my connection flight. That was until MSP came into play. I had originally had
approximately 45 minutes to connect flights, and even with the 15 minute inbound delay, it still
left me (and my older aunt who was traveling with me) 30 minutes to go from one gate to the other.
I took off in a rather fast-pace walking from one gate to another, following the overhead signs to
my connection terminal. Following the directional signs, it took me nearly 20 minutes to walk
between my two gates, mind you, walking at the pace of a 20-some year old, sprinting at times, once
I kept looking at my watch. In the end, I arrived at my connection-departure gate 5 minutes prior to
departure, the departure door had already been closed, and I missed my connection flight.
In a nutshell, MSP is a much, much too spread out airport, which makes a connection of less than 90
minutes nearly impossible. As a result of this, I will never be booking a flight that offers a
connection though MSP again. I will happily pay extra to avoid this airport.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by Beverley Pedersen
16 April 2008 Customer Rating : 
A clean and friendly airport with lots of shops for all your needs and plenty of seating area.
Plenty of nearby gates, for eating while you hang around. There is a family room here too for
resting up where there are children travelling. If they had seating without arms that you could lay
out on as they do at Gatwick, they would warrant a 5 star. Distances between gates sometimes are
extensive but there are carts floating around for your help too.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by L Hurst
25 February 2008 Customer Rating :
After disembarking from my NWA flight, it was so easy to find my way to the tram that would take me
to my next terminal. Even though I had a 3 hour stop over, I felt that there was plenty to keep me
entertained, especially when my flight to LAX was delayed 45 minutes. The shops were different and
had variety - when I stopped in at a convenience store to get a magazine and a Coke, lady at the
checkout was personable and keen to converse beyond how much my purchases came to. The gate lounge
was clean and seats were confortable. One thing that struck me as particularly odd though was the
amount of dogs that were allowed to walk around on a lead with their owners. Never seen that before
at an airport!
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by L Visser
17 February 2008 Customer Rating : 
I have traveled internationally for many years. This year was the first time in the US that we were
treated very rudely by Customs at the MSP Airport. They were not at all kind or respectful and
treated us as if were trying to be dishonest on our declarations. I have never been so frustrated
as I was by them.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by Sue Dahl
12 November 2007 Customer Rating :
I have used Lindbergh terminal for several years and have always been impressed with it's ease of
use and the shopping - I usually have a 7 hour layover and find plenty to do during that time. My
last trip was less than memorable as I was flying Northwest from Minot ND to Minneapolis and
Icelandair from Minneapolis to Glasgow. This time Icelandair had moved to Humphry terminal so I had
to transfer from one terminal to the other. My impression is that Lindbergh and Humphry terminals
have an ongoing war of some kind and really don't give a damn about their customers. There is no
transfer for baggage so I had to drag my bags with me - on the outward journey I had to take a bus
from just outside Lindbergh to just outside Humphry (signs and directions were practically non
existant). On the return journey I found that after already traveling for 16 hours I had to drag my
bags through the entire parking garage to reach the mass transit train, this took me about 20 minutes.
I am a person who is not easily scared by anything, but I have never felt so unsafe walking through
the parking garage on my own at 7:00 pm - no airport staff or security anywhere in sight, I really
wondered where on earth I was going and if I was going in the right direction. Once I got on the
train (absolutely exhausted) I found that there were a couple of young men about 20 feet away from me
starting a fight! What a wonderful impression this gives to any travellers coming to this country for
the first time. Unfortunately I have very few choices of transport between North Dakota and Scotland
and will probably have to take the same route again (I usually make two trips a year). Minneapolis
needs to have a dedicated means of transport for airline passengers between the two terminals and more
security. I would add that I am 64 years old and in reasonable shape, when I finally reached
Lindbergh terminal I was absolutely exhausted, frustrated and upset by the whole experience, I still
had another 7 hours travel time before I would be home. I am writing letters to everyone I can think
of regarding this incident, I would encourage anyone else who has had the same experience to do the
same.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by S De Penning
17 October 2007 Customer Rating :
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport seems optimum in the sense that it is large enough to offer
passengers multiple shopping and dining venues and yet it still maintains a very clean and modern
environment despite its size - something I have to appreciate after having been to more rustic
monstrosities such as Chicago O'Hare. It is true that Northwest Airlines dominates the airport and its
passengers may have to walk long distances to and from its many dispersed concourses, but this
actually seems to translate into an advantage for passengers flying other airlines because most of
them seem to have their operations concentrated on one concourse that is quite close to check-in,
baggage claim, and the Northstar Crossing dining/shopping. So, if you are traveling say American,
Continental, Delta, etc. you may not even realize the immense size of the airport because you are not
likely to contend with it. My one complaint about MSP is that there are very few shops and restaurants
open during the early hours of the morning, which is an inconvenience for persons such as myself who
normally arrive at the terminal quite early for flights departing at 6 or 7 a.m. with international
connections and would like to eat or shop before boarding. However, in all fairness I doubt that many
airports have much to offer at that hour.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by Jane Tuckett
27 September 2007 Customer Rating :
There is a good mix of shops and eating places but most important of all the signeage is clear.We were
coming in from Europe and needing to catch another flight connection after clearing customs. I was SO
pleased that after we'd done that there was a sign indicating where the luggage needed to go for
onward flights. Last year we went through Dulles and we hadn't a clue where the bags had to go and the
staff didn't help. One sign at MSP saved an awful lot of upset and resulting delayed baggage that we
had at Dulles. Give me MSP anyday.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by Jim Wood
15 August 2007 Customer Rating :
I use MSP 5-6 times a year and find it "serviceable". Its too big and distances between connections
can be long and tiring, even with the escalators and trams. Food tends to be mediocre and expensive
and in general I find the whole MSP experience dispiriting. One good thing: the NWA lounges are top-
notch or very close to it. Also you can pay a daily fee and get in. Very worthwhile if you have a 5-6
hour (or more) layover. International arrival there is OK, no long delays but customs takes themselves
very seriously and seems to operate on the premise if they're not inspecting someone's bags they're
not doing their jobs. You can get to the Mall of America pretty easily if you do find yourself with a
6 hour layover. At least you could before I-45 collapsed.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by Robert Dunford
6 June 2007 Customer Rating :
One of the nicest US airports I've visited, which made an enforced
further 24 hour stay that much more bearable. Nicely spaced out, nothing
is too far away, and even getting to/from Downtown Minneapolis and the
MoA is a lot easier than (say) Heathrow. If you fly NW and use hotel
drop-off, the self check-in where you're dropped off makes things less
hassle. Only minor quibble was that if you have a lot of people queuing
up for a non NW flight (in my case UAL) it gets crowded. But then it was
the time when my own flight got delayed so it was probably a bad day.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by Reed Thayer
23 August 2006 Customer Rating : n/a
The layout at MSP is excellent. The walk is never too long, and you don't need to leave security to
change concourses, unlike SFO, LAX, etc. Also, all the check-in counters are in the same hall which
is great if different people in your group are flying different airlines and you want to say
goodbye. Short security lines due to multiple multi lane checkpoints. On-site rental car and parking
makes travel into town easy.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by Rob Arthur
3 August 2006
Just transferred twice through MSP on NW a few weeks ago. I liked the
airport a lot, but it fails in comparison to DTW. The Lindbergh
Terminal is quite a hike, especially if you are coming in on Northwest
Airlink. The G and C terminals are very long, but there is a walkway
where you can transfer from one side to the other. I really enjoyed the
observation deck at the D concourse, and the view was excellent. The C
concourse tram is very helpful, especially for the elderly. Waiting
areas tend to be crowded in the C concourse, but D, E, F, and G were
just fine. Great restaurants, also. All and all, I was quite happy
with MSP. Expect a bit of a walk, and familiarize yourself with the
terminal layout in the NW magazine. If you do that, you should be just
fine.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by D Larkin
23 August 2005
At first glance, you may wonder why MSP received the award for best North American
Airport. Let's face it, the terminals aren't brand new like DEN or SAN, and nobody likes paying high
air fares because of its n torious fortress status. However, there are many factors that make
MSP stand out, like the quick and easy immigration/customs area, tram to Concourse C, excellent
restaurant choices (try the Itasca Grill), and its close proximity to the downtown area. I think the
terminal dedicated to low cost carriers (Humphrey terminal) is a great aspect of MSP - it's
cozy and a breeze to get through, and you don't have to wade through the thousands of connecting
passengers on NWA to get to your gate. The Lindbergh terminal (main terminal) has a nice, clean shopping
area in the middle with an even cleaner food court, but the concourses themselves are dotted with
decent restaurants as well. The layout makes sense, and you never have to walk very far
unless you're at the very end of a concourse or you forget to take the tram. There's also train
service to the Mall of America (currently the biggest mall in the US, great for a long layover) and the
downtown area. The airport could use a facelift, as some of the ceilings are a bit low and the
baggage area is becoming slightly dilapidated. It would be a blessing if Southwest came here - it
would drive down some of the high fares associated with the Northwest monopoly, but I suppose every
fortress airport could use some Southwest relief.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by E Olson
9 August 2005
I have always liked connecting though MSP. I agree with people when they say that if
you're coming in on an RJ or Prop that you had better wear hiking shoes, but the abundance of moving walkways is
definately a plus. Anyway, the airport has always been clean and the staff has the friendly
"Midwest Hospitality" feel about them. Being from Wisconsin myself, it was mostly overlooked outbound and only
noticed on my way back home after missing this while at my destination.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by Jack Yan
25 July 2005
Décor is a very staid; it didn't feel like the most modern of airports. Unlike Mr
Kuhlmann, I did not find much trouble navigating from Humphrey to the Hertz pick-up,
but I was disappointed at the distance I still had to walk, especially as I had an
extraordinary amount of luggage. However, I was impressed with the friendliness of
all staff, especially at United.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by Alex Rodich
29 June 2005
To answer the question about the trams with no people, they were undergoing testing, and before
certification for use, they had to run 30 days without needing matinence. I personally have ridden them
since then, and they are without any staff aboard. Also, much less known to travelers here is the
Humphrey terminal which has been built in the last five years. This terminal features six gates, none of
which are / can be owned by any single airline. Also, the new light-rail system is a plus for travelers
who have a layover, because not only does it connect to the mall of america, but the MOA terminal is
within walking distance of a new indoor waterpark, once construction has finished, this waterpark will
be the largest indoor waterpartk in the US.
Minneapolis St Paul Airport by Julie Clark
31 January 2005
Overall I like MSP, yes it is a pain to get to some concourses but it is an older airport. My
question is why have the train (light rail) connecting Minneapolis, Fort Snelling, the airport and
the Mall of America if I cannot park at any of those locations and ride the train to the airport
without getting my car towed? Maybe a few people like to go to the Mall, but I doubt many fly
into MSP and ride the train elsewhere without additional transportation. Seems like a huge waste to
me.
Minneapolis
St Paul Airport by David Johnson
9
September 2004
MSP Airport is truly a modern airport and one of the best to visit. However, this is not an airport
that is favorable to those who seek low fares or affordable travel. Northwest strives and
vigilently fights to keep the airfares at this airport excessively high. The competition is uneager
to fight high fares (even the low fare airlines that serve this airport). Without new airlines
(Southwest, or the like), this airport is only going to be affordable to those business travelers.
Also, why does the connection train at the airport operates but has nobody riding it? This would
make the airport less of a pain to walk through and provide relief to those that have to navigate
the long journey to concourse B. The airport has severe problems that need to be corrected
sometime in the near future, however the amenities at this airport are some of the best.
Minneapolis
St Paul Airport by Joe Emling
30
August 2004
MSP is generally a great airport as either a destination or a connecting spot. It's too bad that
it's a fortress hub for Northwest and flying there costs an arm and a leg. I like the availability
of shops and the generally well-lighted interior. There are lots of pleasant distractions for long
layovers. And the barber shop is great - if you know where to find it! My one complaint about MSP,
however, is the sheer enormity of it, made worse by the lack of speedier ways to get around. The
airport needs a functioning tram system to zip around the concourses (apparently, there is a tram
that goes from the A-B gates to the D gates, but it has never worked). Connecting from a NW
commuter flight in the A concourse to a flight out of the F concourse is nearly impossible without
at least 30 minutes of breathless scurrying along moving sidewalks and muscling through flight-bank
throngs. This is the one thing that keeps MSP from being a truly world-class airport.
Minneapolis
St Paul Airport by C Kwok
21
June 2004
St. Pauls airport gives me a feeling that I'm at a enormous airport. Allhough it's quite easy to
navigate, it's clean and friendly staff.
For aviation fanatics, there's a nice small "room" where you have a nice overview of the platform,
full with Northwest aircrafts.
As a KLM platinum card holder we share the lounge with partner Northwest. The lounge was quite
crowded compared the size of the lounge. I prefer more spacious lounges with less noise.
The service and drinks are ok and there's also a small separated area for smokers, which I did
appreciate.
Minneapolis
St Paul Airport by Alan Chick
4
December 2003
I found MSP to be a bright clean airport with good shopping facilities airside. The check in area is
also very good with great overhead signage.
My only complaint with the airport is that if you are not flying Northwest then the information
screens for other airlines are almost non existent making you feel slightly unwanted. The foot of
snow which fell while I was in Minneapolis had no adverse effect on the operations.
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