Changes at MSP International Airport

You may not love MSP International Airport enough to want to take it home with you, but for very frequent flyers it can feel like a home away from home. Some recent changes at the international airport may make travel just a bit more comfortable.

Free Wi-Fi
Coffee shops, restaurants, the gym, you name it, anywhere we go today there always seems to be a public Wi-Fi stream that allows us to stay connected during some down time—most often for free. That’s why for many years, the number one request from travelers at MSP International has been free access to the Internet. The wait is over; the airport recently began providing free Wi-Fi throughout most public areas. To gain access, travelers simply need to open their laptop browsers, tablet or smartphone and select “MSP-WiFi” for their network choice. If you watch an advertisement or take a brief survey, you will be allowed 45 minutes of online access. Those who want 24 hours of use—with greater bandwidth and four times the speed—can pay a modest $2.95 for the premium service, uninterrupted and commercial-free.

Terminal 2-Humphrey
In 2011, more than 1.5 million people traveled through Terminal 2-Humphrey, and passenger levels increased nearly 12 percent during the first eight months of 2012. To ease the passenger traffic, a new six-lane security checkpoint opened earlier this month at Terminal 2. The record number of travelers using the terminal has often brought long lines at the security line during peak travel times. Located at the northeast end of the terminal near the skyway to the light rail transit, the new checkpoint can now handle 150 more passengers an hour than the existing checkpoint. Travelers near the atrium to the new checkpoint will also notice an 1,800-square-foot mosaic made of epoxy terrazzo. The bright mosaic was designed by artist Scott Parsons to reflect Minnesota’s landscape and history, and the movement of people through time and space.

Shops and More
The mosaic and increased efficiency at security checkpoints are another part of a larger expansion underway at Terminal 2, which is served by AirTran Airways, Icelandair, Southwest, Spirit, and Sun Country Airlines. Later this year, or early in 2013, six new Terminal 2 concessions will open, including a Latin-themed Cocina del Barrio restaurant, Surdyk’s Flights wine market and cafe, Subway, Caribou Coffee, and retail news store Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine News. New stores continue to open at Terminal 1-Lindbergh as well, including Aveda, which opened in late September and occupies a store near checkpoint three that was once occupied by Hugo Boss.