The_Diamond_Z

I'm on a flight (UA774 ORD->MSP) that arrives at 00:13. The last run of the nearby Hilton hotel shuttle is 1am. I'm not that familiar with domestic air travel or this flight/airport and I'm going to have some checked luggage.

Am I going to make it?

Non-NonRev

Why not just call the hotel from ORD reminding them of your imminent arrival?

Next, call again as you arrive at MSP and as you are waiting for the bags (there may have been a shift change at the desk) to give them an update.

The hotel desk will communicate with the shuttle driver via two way radio.

Unless your flight has a significant delay, the shuttle will likely be waiting for you.

MSPeconomist

The good news is that it's not such a long walk from the gates UA uses to baggage claim. I don't know how long it takes for UA checked bags to arrive. The bad news is that you must go down one more level (escalator or elevator), walk further down a little hill, past a DL group check in counter, and then to the left toward the elevators and escalators to go up a level before walking to the far right end for the hotel shuttles. You're basically going down from baggage claim level to walk under the airport roadway and then back up to the hotel shuttles on baggage claim level but on the other side of the roadway, which is completely impossible to cross as a pedestrian (barricades and fences, so don't try it).

Most folks here are Minnesota nice so you should be able to call and have the shuttle wait for you within reason. Otherwise there are taxis....or Uber. [BTW some MSP airport hotels have shuttles 24/7 or are at least able to be called at any hour outside of their scheduled runs.]

The_Diamond_Z

I will, but I called them 1 month in advance to ask about the shuttle times explaining my arrival time and I got what sounded like a very firm we stop at 1am. So I'm looking at other hotels...and options. It's a long set of flights I'm on so I don't like my chances of being lucid enough to deal with a taxi in a (for me) new city late at night.

Are taxis around at that time of night at MSP? Is there taxi queue/rank/line?

MSPeconomist

Yes, the taxi line for official taxis is just before (to the right of) the hotel shuttle area. You still have to drag your luggage on the path under the roadway and up again from baggage claim rather than just stepping outside to the curb. There will be a dispatcher directing you to the vehicle. [Once I arrived after 2:30 am in January, IIRC on a Sunday night, and there was still lots of activity at MSP in the taxi area. It's a major airport. although air traffic normally seems to stop shortly after midnight--the terminal concourses will be empty except for passengers from your flight and of course almost all shops will be closed--before resuming around 5 am.]

The_Diamond_Z

Awesome..thanks for the info.