Midwest - I love MSP

MSP has to be among the most efficient airports in the world.

Yesterday (granted, it was a Sunday) I was in meetings about 5 miles away from MSP until 5:00. At exactly 5:00, I:

walked out of the building
got into my rental car
drove the 5 miles to MSP
turned in the rental
got on the little tram
stopped and printed my BP
went through security
walked to my UA gate

Time of arrival at the gate?? 5:17 ^^

And it has a good and varied selection of places to hang around/eat/drink while on a short layover, and the train ride to a Mall of America to waste a longer layover. I'll miss it when CO go to *.....!

And it has a good and varied selection of places to hang around/eat/drink while on a short layover,

Including the little-used indoor observation deck. It's not the best plane-spotting site in the world, but it's a fine enough way to pass some time between flights. It's actually a great napping spot...if there was only a way to turn down the volume on those stupid automated announcements. :mad:

Including the little-used indoor observation deck. It's not the best plane-spotting site in the world, but it's a fine enough way to pass some time between flights. It's actually a great napping spot...if there was only a way to turn down the volume on those stupid automated announcements. :mad:

Where is the observation deck at? I never even knew they had one at MSP.

Where is the observation deck at? I never even knew they had one at MSP.

It's pretty well hidden. As far as I know it's not listed on any terminal maps.

It's at the entry area to concourse D. I think it's across from a restaurant called "Northern Lights", IIRC. While you can easily miss it, there is a sign marked "Observation Deck" or something like that. You go up three flights of stairs, around a corner, etc. You'll probably run into a few airport employees on break but I've never seen anyone else up there who appears to be a passenger.

You get a fairly good view of the ramp and one of the runways. But the windows are thick and not especially clean, so probably not such a great photo-taking spot.

awesome, thanks for the heads up! I'll be through there at the end of the month, and hopefully I can squeeze it in.

Where is the observation deck at? I never even knew they had one at MSP.

I'm a lifelong MSP-er, and I didn't know about this either. I'll check it out in a few weeks. Thanks for the tip. I tend to arrive too early at MSP, mostly because it IS so user-friendly and you can get through to the gate quickly. I

Just as a warning, I haven't had a layover at MSP since December 2006. I'm assuming the observation deck is still there and open. I'm connecting through there again next month, so I'll check it out to make sure.

Just as a warning, I haven't had a layover at MSP since December 2006. I'm assuming the observation deck is still there and open. I'm connecting through there again next month, so I'll check it out to make sure.

It is still there... and the directions given above are spot-on (Concourse D, across from Northern Lights restaurant). I was the ONLY person in the whole place. I don't know that I'd nap there as the chairs are solid plastic and not at all comfortable. However, it was a wonderful spot to chill out and get some work done without the huddle masses moving around me.

Yet another find on FlyerTalk!

It is still there... and the directions given above are spot-on (Concourse D, across from Northern Lights restaurant). I was the ONLY person in the whole place. I don't know that I'd nap there as the chairs are solid plastic and not at all comfortable. However, it was a wonderful spot to chill out and get some work done without the huddle masses moving around me.

Yet another find on FlyerTalk!
The view is pretty good up there.
Photo 1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/olton_hall/2838127321/in/set-395570/)
Photo 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/olton_hall/214558972/in/set-395570/)

Along time ago they use to have another observation area in Concourse F. (I'm talking Pre-carpet days) You can see it from the one at Concourse D. That's offices or something now from the looks of it.