Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) celebrated the end of a decade’s worth of pre-security Terminal 1 renovations with the launch of its new ticketing and arrival lobby, part of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC)’s $600-million Operational Improvements Program.
The program, which featured 20 projects across the facility, included expansions to Terminal 1; consolidated security checkpoints; new stairs, elevators and escalators; an expanded baggage claim area; updated ticket and arrival areas; new digital information signage; updated restroom facilities; new sustainability measures like automatic tinting glass and LED lighting; as well as updated systems throughout the space and new public art displays.
“This has been a decade-plus journey to transform the facility and processes to enhance the passenger experience and our operational capacities,” said MAC CEO Brian Ryks. “The massive scope of this program centered on being prepared for the next several decades to serve our passengers, airlines and other partners and maintain our status as one of the top aviation hubs in the country.”
“The projects were challenging because we built an entirely new airport environment under the same roof, without the ability to close the front door,” added MAC vice president of planning and development Bridget Rief. “It took extreme coordination and communication with our many stakeholders to develop the complex phasing of improvements that enabled our airlines and the Transportation Security Administration to maintain operations and serve a growing volume of passengers at the same time.”
“The investments to create brighter, more modern spaces will further elevate MSP’s award-winning passenger experience, which includes the No.-1 ranking among mega airports for two out of the last three years in the J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study,” said MAC chair Rick King. “The new and refreshed lobbies and other spaces also deliver a more dynamic first impression for visitors to match the vibrant and welcoming culture of the Twin Cities and Minnesota.”
MSP will continue to upgrade facilities through its $242-million Airport Modernization Program, a series of projects in partnership with Delta Air Lines that includes renovations to six of the terminal’s seven concourses and approximately 75 Delta gate hold rooms that is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2025. MSP will also expand its Concourse G in a $305-million project set to complete by 2028.
