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Global technology outage affects travelers at MSP airport Friday morning. (FOX 9)

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) – With Thanksgiving holiday approaching, officials with Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) expects an increase in the number of travelers compared to last season and advises people to plan ahead.

What we know

In the 12 days from Thursday 21 November to Tuesday 2 December, the MSP expects at least 468,000 people to undergo security checks – more than 10% compared to the almost 423,000 screened in 2023 during the same period.

As in previous years, officials expect travel activity to peak on Nov. 27 (the day before Thanksgiving) and Dec. 1, with more than 49,000 people expected to be screened each day.

Traveler estimates are in addition to connecting passengers and those arriving at MSP.

“We are poised for a strong and busy couple of weeks around Thanksgiving, which is in line with MSP’s overall passenger growth of 8% year-to-date in 2024,” Brian Ryks, CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), said in a statement.

Travelers are advised to arrive at the airport at least two hours before a domestic departure or three hours before an international departure.

Pre-book your seat at TSA

To help travelers with security checkpoints, officials announced the launch of MSP RESERVE in September, allowing passengers to book appointments for free online as early as one week before a flight.

To make a reservation, travelers must enter flight information and the number of people in their traveling party. Travelers then select from a list of available times to complete the booking.

Travelers are then instructed to proceed to a designated security screening lane for MSP RESERVE passengers. Staff will then scan the traveler’s QR code before allowing them to enter the separate security line.

Travelers can find the Terminal 1 MSP RESERVE line at the North Checkpoint.

Terminal 2 expansion

In August, the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) began construction of a 168,000 square meter expansion of terminal 2 within MSP.

The $263 million project will add two airport gates and increase clearances and passenger seating for gates H13 and H14. The expansion includes new restrooms, concession areas and additional support areas for airlines and tenants.

MSP received a $20 million federal grant for the project from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminals Program, and the project is scheduled for completion in 2027.

MSP rated

In September it was announced MSP Airport reclaimed its No. 1 spot place for mega airports in the JD Power 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, which beat out Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County.