As a frequent flier you obviously have your preferred way of doing things. One of those is having an airport of choice. Since I fly Delta almost exclusively, my top pick is going to be one of their hubs – Minneapolis (MSP). The place is well laid out and easy to get around. There are plentiful food options. There are three lounges to escape in. The terminals are large, so you never feel like you have no space to get through the concourses, even during the busy times of the day. Heck, they even have an ongoing, rotating exhibit in Terminal C of employees’ artwork! All of these come together to make for an excellent experience.
Making your connections is typically fairly easy, as the airport is essentially one big loop. Moving walkways are plentiful for tighter connections, or you can use the tram in the C terminal. You usually will never have to walk further than 20 minutes to get to the next gate. That is why having a 45 minute connection is doable here, but then again, why would you want to and miss out on enjoying what the airport has to offer?
For times when you have a longer layover, there is a mall in the main concourse with plenty of places to shop, eat, and get a massage. Everything is well lit and has a very modern look to it. Many of the restaurants have open air seating, making for a much more enjoyable experience. Another random fun fact, Minneapolis has just finished some renovations, so there are really nice restrooms throughout the airport. I guess they won an award for them too?
In terms of food options, you can get just about anything your heart desires, from quick fast food joints, to American and Asian cuisine, as well as craft beer and wine sit down restaurants. The place I frequent is the French Meadow. This is a local bakery with healthier food options (and some not so healthy, but with quality ingredients). You can get anything from breakfast burritos, to sandwiches, burgers, salads, and even plated meals such as fish if you like. There is something for everyone, and reasonably priced for the quality of food you get. Staying well nourished is a must for a long day of travel. Flying is already hard on the body, so why the hell would you eat the fake food from McDonald’s?
For those who prefer to hang out in a lounge, there are 3 options: 2 Delta SkyClubs and the Escape Lounge. The main SkyClub one is quite busy, but very nice as it was just remodeled. The second one is in the C terminal. This is a little smaller, but tends to be less busy, so this is the one I frequent the most for a much more pleasant experience. I have never been to the Escape Lounge because of my SkyClub membership, but I have heard that it is very nice from other frequent travelers. If you are going to pay for a lounge, use this one over the SkyClub.
If you have a long layover and want to get some exercise, do a lap of the airport. The entire loop takes about 30 minutes depending on how fast you walk. If you get behind or your flight is coming up soon, take the moving walkways. This is quite enjoyable as there are large windows throughout the entire airport, letting in plenty of natural light. This also allows you to watch the planes take off and land. You are relatively close to the runways, making for some good plane spotting. If you are lucky, some of the Air National Guard planes will be taking off and landing. I’ve gotten to see some F-16s fly around on a couple of occasions!
I could go on and on about this airport, and all the hidden gems you can find. If your travels allow for a stop in Minneapolis, definitely try to make a connection through here. You will not be disappointed!
