MEA weekend at MSP Airport: Here's what to expect

Officials at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are gearing up for the annual deluge of fall travelers this weekend due to the statewide teachers conference, typically one of the busiest weekends of the year at the airport.

During MEA weekend (short for Minnesota Education Association), high volumes of travelers will likely surge at baggage claims, loading zones and parking ramps at both terminals, according to the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which operates MSP. K-12 schools across the state close for the annual union-sponsored teachers conference.

"MEA weekend is always controlled chaos at MSP, and I wouldn't expect anything different this go-around," said Kyle Potter, executive editor of the Thrifty Traveler website. "We Minnesotans love our fall getaways, and nothing will change that. Don't expect an empty seat next to you flying out of or back to MSP."

MAC CEO Brian Ryks agrees.

"We expect to see high volumes of passengers in our ticketing lobbies, and corresponding activity along our roadways for passenger drop-off and pickup," he said.

Here's what you need to know:

Busiest day: Thursday is expected to be the busiest day of the long weekend, with some 52,000 people expected to clear Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints at both terminals.

Second busiest day: Wednesday, with more than 49,000 travelers clearing TSA checkpoints. The weekend generally ends on Sunday (because students and teachers need to go back to school). The two busiest days this year are expected to be slightly busier than the same days in 2023, when more than 99,000 people were screened, according to the TSA.

Sorry to repeat this, but: Travelers should arrive at the airport at least two hours before a domestic departure, and three hours prior to an international flight.

What's new? The free Terminal 2 Express Lane, an alternative pickup and drop-off area to the often-crowded service road at MSP's smaller terminal, home to Sun Country Airlines and several others. The new Express Lanes can be accessed through the Purple Ramp, with a covered loading zone on the second level offering easy access to the terminal through a skyway.

Don't have TSA PreCheck or Clear? No worries. MSP passengers can reserve a spot in the security line for free through MSP Reserve. This fall, the service was expanded to include Terminal 1 passengers. But MAC says reservation times vary depending on the terminal, and availability is limited.

There's road construction, right? Of course there is — along the Edina-Bloomington-Richfield Interstate 494 corridor.

What about airport parking? MAC officials predict it will be in "high demand." Pre-booking online is advised to get the lowest daily rates. However, MAC says bookings must be made at least 12 hours before you arrive at the airport.

Pro tips: If you're traveling from Terminal 1, which has north and south TSA checkpoints, check the wait-time boards when you arrive to get in the fastest line. The north checkpoint often has shorter wait times, and you can access all the gates from either checkpoint. If you're picking up or dropping off passengers, try the counter-intuitive method: Pick up passengers at the departure area; drop off passengers at arrivals.

How to avoid circling the bonkers arrival areas at both terminals in an attempt to pick up your passenger: Use the cellphone lots on Post Road. They're free and you can wait peacefully in your car until your passenger texts or calls.

If you need a primer on TSA's baffling 3-1-1 liquids rule and other requirements before you enter the security line scrum: Go to tsa.gov/travel/security-screening for tips, including identification requirements and regulated items for carry-on and checked baggage.

If you need a little entertainment: Arts@MSP, the Airport Foundation's arts and culture program, will feature music performances, Paul Bunyan appearances, kids activities and a "Fossil Friends" interactive display from the Science Museum of Minnesota.

What do the experts forecast for travel? Although this year's MEA weekend is expected to be busy, Potter says there are signs that the explosive post-pandemic growth in air travel may be cooling off or even slowing down.

"After four straight years of uninterrupted year-over-year growth, national TSA numbers have dipped down to — or even fallen below — the same point in 2023," he said. "In this post-pandemic travel boom, that's a first."

The real question is whether it's just a blip. It could be "a mixture of the normal, back-to-school seasonality exacerbated by hurricane season in the south and election-year anxiety," Potter said. "Or is it a sign that 'revenge travel' is finally, really over — that, after years of putting travel ahead of everything else, Americans have finally hit a breaking point?"

Either way, he says MEA weekend will be a "very interesting benchmark for what happens through the fall and into 2025 at MSP and beyond."