Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport
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Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Wold-Chamberlain Airport | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | MAC | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Serves |  Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota (Twin Cities) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hub for | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 841 ft / 256 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | www.mspairport.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 FAA airport diagram | |||||||||||||||||||||||
  MSP Location within Minnesota | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2010) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (IATA: MSP, ICAO: KMSP, FAA LID: MSP) is a joint civil-military public use airport. Located in an unincorporated part of Hennepin County, Minnesota, within ten miles (16 km) of both downtown Minneapolis and downtown Saint Paul, it is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Overview
In terms of passengers, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the fifteenth busiest airport in the United States (2009),[3] and thirtieth busiest airport in the world in 2008. A joint civil-military airport, MSP is also home to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Joint Air Reserve Station, supporting both Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard flight operations. Airlines out of Minneapolis/St. Paul International airport serve 134 nonstop markets from MSP, including 120 domestic and 14 international markets. Compared to other large metropolitan areas in the United States, only the airports in Denver and Atlanta serve more non-stop markets per capita.[4]
The airport, including both passenger terminal buildings, is mostly located in the Census-designated place of Fort Snelling in an unincorporated part of Hennepin County.[5] Small sections of the airport are within the city limits of Minneapolis. The airport is across the Mississippi River from St. Paul. The terminal exits of the airport are minutes away from the Mall of America; careful flight pattern planning ensures that aircraft never fly over the mall at low altitude.
It is the third largest hub airport for Delta Air Lines and Delta Connection partners Compass Airlines and Pinnacle Airlines (with Compass having headquarters nearby). It also serves as the home airport for Sun Country Airlines. Champion Air was based at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport until the airline ceased operations in May 2008, and Delta Connection partner Mesaba Airlines was also headquartered nearby until December 2011 as it completed its merger with Pinnacle Airlines. Delta Air Lines accounts for more than 80% of the airport's passenger traffic. The airport is operated by the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which also handles operation of six smaller airports in the region.
History
The airport first came into being when several local groups came together to take control of the former bankrupt Twin City Speedway race track, giving the airport its original name, Speedway Field. Soon after, in 1921, the airport was renamed Wold-Chamberlain Field for the World War I pilots Ernest Groves Wold and Cyrus Foss Chamberlain. Howard Hughes briefly stopped at Wold-Chamberlain Field on his round the world flight in 1938. In 1944, the site was renamed to Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Airport/Wold-Chamberlain Field, with "International" replacing "Metropolitan" four years later. Today, it is very rare to see the Wold-Chamberlain portion of the name used anywhere.
MSP was the main base for Northwest Airlines starting in 1926, and became the main base of regional carrier North Central Airlines in 1952. North Central merged with Southern Airways to form Republic Airlines in 1979; Republic then merged with Northwest in 1986. The combined carrier came to control 79% of traffic at the airport, and merged into Delta Air Lines in 2010.
Due in part to the impact of aircraft noise on the urban environment of south Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs, Northwest Airlines and others had proposed moving out of MSP and building a new airport on the fringes of the Twin Cities metro area to handle more large jets and more international traffic. Minneapolis and other neighboring cities were concerned that such a move would have a negative economic impact, so an arrangement was made where the Metropolitan Airports Commission would outfit many homes in the vicinity of the airport with sound insulation and air conditioning so that indoor noise could be reduced. A citizen group named ROAR (Residents Opposed to Airport Racket) was created in 1998 and helped push the MAC to make these concessions. Later, in 2004, the MAC voted to reduce funding for the soundproofing projects, stating in part that the economic climate had turned in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, who had been a founding member of ROAR, promised that the city would challenge the funding changes.
The main Charles Lindbergh terminal building was built in 1962. It handles all international flights and airlines such as Delta, United, and others. The 1970 disaster film Airport was partially filmed at MSP, filling in for a fictional Lincoln airport. It was followed by several sequels and was a prototype for many disaster films that followed. The airport used colors as the method for naming different concourses for many years, a convention that was duplicated in the movie. Starting in 2000, MSP switched to lettered concourses, which has become standard practice at airports around the world. The color names still survive as the names for the Lindbergh Terminal parking ramp wings.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Terminal was built in 2001. It is used mostly for charter airlines and low cost carriers, including Sun Country, AirTran, and Southwest.
Icelandair started service to Minneapolis/St. Paul from Reykjavik in 1998. Northwest operated flights from Minneapolis/St. Paul to Hong Kong and Osaka in 1998 using 747-400 aircraft, but were dropped in the same year. Northwest also operated Minneapolis/St. Paul to Oslo and Frankfurt service using DC-10 aircraft, but they too were dropped. From the early 1990s and to 2000s (decade), KLM operated 747 and MD-11 service from Amsterdam to Minneapolis/St. Paul. In part because of the Delta/KLM joint venture, KLM hasn't served Minneapolis/St. Paul with its own aircraft since 2003.
Description
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Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport has two terminals, both of which were named for famous Minnesotans: the Lindbergh Terminal (named after the aviator Charles Lindbergh) and the much smaller Humphrey Terminal (named for former US Vice President Hubert Humphrey). Lindbergh Terminal officially has seven concourses, lettered A-G, with the Humphrey terminal labeled as Concourse H. The Lindbergh Terminal is designated as Terminal 1-Lindbergh and the Humphrey Terminal is designated as Terminal 2-Humphrey. The old Humphrey Terminal, built in the late 1970s, was rebuilt in 2001 to expand capacity and give passengers a more seamless experience.
Like many other airports, MSP interconnects with several other forms of transportation. Several large parking ramps are available for cars. Most other connections are made at the Hub Building and adjacent Transit Center, which has city and shuttle bus, taxi, light-rail, and rental car service. Two trams (people movers) are at the airport. One carries passengers from the main section of Lindbergh Terminal to the Hub Building, and another runs along the long Concourse C in that terminal.
The airport is near Fort Snelling, the site of one of the earliest United States government settlements in the area. Both the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers flow nearby. Minnesota State Highway 5 provides the closest entrance to the Lindbergh Terminal, just a short distance from Interstate 494. The Humphrey Terminal is accessed via the 34th Avenue exit from I-494, which runs past Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Delta Air Lines has hangars arranged along I-494 and 34th Avenue, so it's possible to see airliners undergoing maintenance while driving past.
The Hiawatha Line light-rail has stops at both the Hub Building (Lindbergh Station) and Humphrey Terminal (Humphrey Station). It connects the airport with downtown Minneapolis as well as with the Mall of America in nearby Bloomington, and operates as a shuttle service between the two airport terminals. Travelers can use the rail line to go between the two sites at all times; it is the only part of the line that operates continuously through the night (the rest shuts down for about four hours early in the morning). Passengers going between the two terminals may ride free of charge, but those riding beyond the airport grounds must pay a standard fare. Two parallel tunnels for the line run roughly 70 feet (20 meters) below the airport, and at 1.7 miles (2.7 km) in length are the longest tunnels on the route. The Lindbergh Terminal station is the only one underground on the line, as the rails return to the surface near Humphrey Terminal. Due to current concerns about terrorism, a great deal of effort went into ensuring that the tunnels are highly blast-resistant. The underground portion was the costliest section of the entire rail project.
The airport has three airline lounges, all located in the Lindbergh Terminal: two Delta Air Lines Sky Clubs and one United Airlines United Club.
MSP 2020 Vision
 | This article needs to be updated. (April 2009) |
In 2004, Northwest Airlines, which is now Delta Air Lines, proposed expanding the Lindbergh Terminal to accommodate growing flight operations in a plan known as the MSP 2020 Vision. The proposed expansion included moving all airlines other than Northwest and its SkyTeam alliance partners to the Humphrey Terminal. This caused increased concern about Northwest Airlines' control of the Minneapolis-St. Paul commercial air service market with some claiming that Northwest was using its market position to inflate airfares. While AirTran Airways voiced opposition to the plan, American Airlines and United Airlines remained neutral on the move since both had exclusive terminals at their own main hubs. Despite the merger between Northwest and Delta Air Lines, Delta still plans to carry out the expansions. In May 2005, the MAC approved the plan with the following conditions:
- The Humphrey Terminal will be expanded to 22 gates, over double its current size
- Another parking ramp will be constructed at the Humphrey Terminal
- Delta and other SkyTeam airlines will have exclusive rights to the entire Lindbergh Terminal
- Non-SkyTeam airlines will use the Humphrey Terminal
- Concourse C will be converted into a regional jet terminal
- A new Concourse H will be built on the site of the former NWA Building B
Due to the bankruptcies of both Northwest and Mesaba Airlines and various other reasons, much of the plan has yet to be implemented including the expansion of both terminals and the move of some of the non-SkyTeam airlines. However, AirTran and Icelandair have moved from the Lindbergh Terminal and the new parking structure at the Humphrey Terminal has been completed. Also, part of Concourse C has now been converted to handle mostly regional jets.
Airlines and destinations
Concourses A-G are located at the Lindbergh Terminal (Terminal 1), while Concourse H is the Humphrey Terminal (Terminal 2).
Traffic and statistics
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 444,109 | Delta |
| 2 | Tokyo (Narita), Japan | 256,299 | Delta |
| 3 | Cancún, Mexico | 185,939 | Delta, Sun Country |
| 4 | Toronto (Pearson), Canada | 169,113 | Air Canada, Delta |
| 5 | Winnipeg, Canada | 164,123 | Delta |
| 6 | Calgary, Canada | 147,677 | Delta |
| 7 | Vancouver, Canada | 145,815 | Delta |
| 8 | Edmonton, Canada | 139,656 | Delta |
| 9 | London (Heathrow), United Kingdom | 132,383 | Delta |
| 10 | Paris (Charles de Gaulle), France | 86,331 | Delta |
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver, Colorado | 774,000 | Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United |
| 2 | Atlanta, Georgia | 761,000 | AirTran, Delta |
| 3 | Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois | 717,000 | American, Delta, United |
| 4 | Phoenix, Arizona | 625,000 | Delta, Southwest, Sun Country, US Airways |
| 5 | Seattle, Washington | 498,000 | Alaska, Delta, Sun Country |
| 6 | Los Angeles, California | 415,000 | Delta, Sun Country |
| 7 | Las Vegas, Nevada | 396,000 | Delta, Sun Country |
| 8 | Chicago (Midway), Illinois | 394,000 | Delta, Southwest |
| 9 | Detroit, MI | 383,000 | Delta |
| 10 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 379,000 | AirTran, Delta |
Cargo operations
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Ameriflight | Winnipeg |
| DHL operated by Astar Air Cargo | Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Toledo |
| Bemidji Airlines | Alexandria (MN), Bemidji, Brainerd, Duluth, Eveleth, Fergus Falls, Grand Rapids, International Falls, La Crosse, Marshall, Rice Lake, Thief River Falls, Wadena, Winona |
| Capital Cargo International Airlines | Calgary, Toledo |
| FedEx Express | Indianapolis, Memphis, Milwaukee |
| UPS Airlines | Louisville, Peoria, Philadelphia, Rockford, St. Louis, Winnipeg |
Military facilities
The Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Joint Air Reserve Station at MSP is home to the 934th Airlift Wing (934 AW), an Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) unit, and the 133d Airlift Wing (133 AW) of the Minnesota Air National Guard. Both units fly the C-130 Hercules and are operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC). The 934th consists of over 1,300 military personnel, of which approximately 250 are full-time Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) and Air Reserve Technician (ART) personnel. The 133rd is similarly manned, making for a total military presence of over 2,600 full-time and part-time personnel.
The 934 AW serves as the "host" wing for the installation, which also includes lodging/billeting, officers club, Base Exchange (BX) and other morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) facilities for active, reserve/national guard and retired military personnel and their families.
Other buildings
Delta Air Lines Building C is located on the property of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and in Fort Snelling.[10][11][12][13] Delta uses it for northern and regional operations.[14] The building is located along 34th Avenue, which is the main access point to the airport terminals from Interstate 494, and across from the Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Building C is in a public access area of the airport, so visitors are not required to undergo security checks to access it.[15]
In 2009, as Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines merged, Delta removed all employees from Building A, the previous headquarters of Northwest in Eagan, and all employees who remained in Minneapolis were moved to Building C, which was renovated.[16] Facilities within the building include the Compass Airlines corporate headquarters, which moved there on December 16, 2009.[17] the Regional Elite Airline Services headquarters,[18] and Delta SkyBonus offices.[19]
Prior to its disestablishment, Republic Airlines (1979-1986) had its headquarters in Building C.[14][20]
Runways
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport has four runways:[2]
- Runway 4/22: 11,006 x 150 ft. (3,354 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete
- Runway 12R/30L: 10,000 x 200 ft. (3,048 x 61 m), Surface: Concrete
- Runway 12L/30R: 8,200 x 150 ft. (2,499 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete
- Runway 17/35: 8,000 x 150 ft. (2,438 x 46 m), Surface: Concrete
Runway 17/35 opened in October 2005. Prior to that time, a number of buildings (including several hangars and the City of Richfield's Rich Acres Golf Course) were demolished to make way for the runway protection zone of the new runway. Similarly, plans for expansion at Mall of America have been delayed by its construction.[citation needed] Aircraft approaching Runway 35 fly slightly east of the Mall of America, overfly Interstate 494, and land seconds later. Due to noise concerns from South Minneapolis, between 13 August 2007 and 18 October 2007, Runway 17/35 was used regularly during construction on Runway 12R/30L.
See also
References
- ^ "Passenger and traffic statistics for 2010" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-10-13.
- ^ a b FAA Airport Form 5010 for MSP PDF, effective March 15, 2007.
- ^ MSP Airport Statistics. Retrieved on May 28, 2009.
- ^ "Passenger and traffic statistics for 2010, p. 16" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-10-13.
- ^ "Fort Snelling UT, Hennepin county, Minnesota." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on December 19, 2009.
- ^ http://ir.spirit.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=652728
- ^ http://www.mspairport.com/news-and-media/news-releases/current-news-releases/US-Airways-Launching-Service-Between-MSP-Internati.aspx
- ^ "U.S. International Air Passenger and Freight Statistics Report". 2010. Retrieved 2011-10-01.
- ^ "transtats.bts.gov". transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
- ^ "delta air lines' farmers market-building c." Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Retrieved on January 19, 2012. "Location: MSP Airport-Delta Building C, North Side near Compass Airlines Entrance"
- ^ "Fort Snelling UT, Hennepin county, Minnesota." (Archive) U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on December 19, 2009.
- ^ "Expanded Branch and ATM Access Comes to the Twin Cities." Wings Financial. Retrieved on January 19, 2012. "Delta Air Lines Bldg. C* 7500 Airline Drive Minneapolis, MN"
- ^ "Blood Drive | Delta Air Lines Bldg C." Memorial Blood Centers. Retrieved on January 19, 2012. "Street: 7500 Airline Drive City: Bloomington State: Minnesota Country: USA"
- ^ a b Niemela, Jennifer. "Delta reaches deal on Minnesota jobs." Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. Tuesday December 16, 2008. Retrieved on January 19, 2012.
- ^ Van Denburg, Hart. "Minneapolis airport police seek Delta intruder carrying leopard-print stuffed animal." Citypages. Wednesday February 10, 2010. Retrieved on January 19, 2012.
- ^ Grayson, Katharine. "Delta CEO: We'll consolidate MSP office space." Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. Friday June 12, 2009. Last modified on Monday June 15, 2009. Retrieved on January 19, 2012.
- ^ "About Us." Compass Airlines. Retrieved on December 18, 2009. "7500 Airline Drive Suite 130 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55450"
- ^ "CR-7010-Docket.pdf." Unity and Strength For Workers. Retrieved on January 19, 2012. "Regional Elite Airline Services 7500 Airline Drive C079 Minneapolis, MN 55450-1101"
- ^ "Contact us." Delta SkyBonus. Retrieved on January 19, 2012. "SkyBonus® MS3-746 7500 Airline Drive Minneapolis, MN 55450"
- ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 30, 1985. 111.
External links
- Official website
- Template:PDF
- MAC Noise Homepage (official—interactive maps of flights and noise data)
- Live Air Traffic Control streams including MSP
- FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective October 31, 2024
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KMSP
- ASN accident history for MSP
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KMSP
- FAA current MSP delay information
- OpenNav airspace and charts for KMSP
- FAA Airport Form 5010 for MSP PDF
