MSP anticipates its busiest day ever Monday
(KMSP) - The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is preparing for what officials say will likely be the facility's busiest day ever, with Super Bowl visitors streaming out of the Twin Cities Monday after a full week of festivities.
The airport's busiest day on record was last summer, with around 45,000 visitors passing through security during a 24-hour period. Monday, however, is set to dwarf that number, with an estimated 60-70,000 people boarding flights out of the Twin Cities.
Additional TSA teams, including both staff and K9s, were sent to Minnesota to help deal with the additional traffic, while MSP is also making 800 sleeping mats available to those planning on sleeping overnight before early flights Monday morning.
In light of the increased traffic, officials are urging travelers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flight, with the busiest times happening around 8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Beyond the additional security teams, the airport is also enlisting the help of several dozen local volunteers who will assist visitors in finding their ticketing lines and gates in order to help things run smoothly.