MSP timing???
 

We are flying MSP - FLL on flight 1030 in 4 weeks from today. Sat. 10:45am departure.
I see It usually departs from gate 21 (long walk)
What time should we book hotel shuttle to arrive at airport for our flight. I want to arrive early, My wife wants to sleep in.
What would be a reasonably safe time to leave Embassy Suites hotel and clear security, walk the concourse to our flights and not have to worry about missing our flight.
I plan on doing OLCI day before, but we will have bags to check.
Thanks in advance
Mark

I would be at the airport no later than 1 hour before the flight. It shouldn't be too busy on a Saturday morning. Checking bags should be a snap and TSA shouldn't be too crowded. So, I would leave from the hotel 1.5 hours from departure time. That should leave ample buffer time.

If you want to be extra cautious, maybe tack on an extra 15 minutes to account for some random unexpected delay, like a secondary screening at TSA or something.

From your profile it looks like you are a NW Elite... MSP has the elite lines for TSA, so that should help you a bit... but as Schmutzig says, I would give yourself a good 1.5 hrs from leaving the hotel...

Hmm, I believe I have stayed at that ES (they have Guinness on tap in the bar:))...I agree with the other two responses, leave the hotel 1.5 hours from departure and you will be fine.

Thanks everyone!
I knew I could get the answer from the experts here
I am a lowly base member as I don't travel for work but we love to travel and I like reading these forums.
I also have an interest in commercial aviation as my brother works in the buisness.
He called last month to tell me about the A380 parked outside his office window in. SIN:)

BTW, for an Embassy that one is really nice. All new furnishings, flat panel TV's...I am a fan.

I agree. Saturday morning seems to be when the TSA likes to do training. The last time I did "slow Saturday" flight there were only five people in line for security. It took over 15 minutes. It was agony watching them futz with the X-Ray machine. Only one machine going.

Personally, I disagree with everyone above.
1) Passenger in NOT elite
2) Going to FLL will probably have to check bags & will have to use the non-elite line for bag check
3) I don't know about MSP on a Sat AM, but here in PIT, the non-elite TSA line is absolutely SLAMMED with - and I hate to use the term - gate lice (types) - inexperienced once a year pleasure travelers going in vacation.
4) The passenger says the gate for this flight is usually far

If I were him, I'd get to the airport 1 1/2 hours before flight time or even 1:45. If there's extra time, have some breakfast!

It's my home airport. I stand by my recommendations. ;)

Schm . . .
I know you know MORE than anybody else about MSP, I was mostly trying to point out that somebody above made the mistake of thinking this pax is elite - which he isn't - which changes things some. Also, I just wondered when the last time was that you used the non-elite lines? Also, just my personal opinion that arriving an hour before flight time for someone who's not an experienced flyer - and also has to check bags - and poss far gate - is a little wreckless.

Re: breakfast - I stopped at Ike's not too long ago. I was connecting off of a redeye from SFO. Not great food, but not bad, and it was open at 6a. I dropped a business card in the fish bowl - didn't win anything, but they actually sent me a card thanking me for my visit. I was extremely impressed by that gesture, so personally, I would say that yes, get to the airport early, and if you have time left over, grab some breakfast. Missing your flight to FLL is going to get your vacation off to a bad start.

Absolutely no disrespect meant to @SchmutzigMSP, and I know MSP is your home airport, but I've just seen such huge variance that I personally wouldn't chance it. My home airport used to be DTW, and I used to cut it close, and even with the elite lines (which OP cannot use), every once and a while crap happens. You get a "behavioral specialist" who thinks you deserve the works, the guy in front of you throws off the alarm three times, the agent makes a red diagonal line across your BP because you were the 7th pax after their last sip of coffee, who knows. I agree that most of the time you're probably fine, but the question is if you're starting (or ending) a vacation, is it really worth saving a half hour to risk it?

I second schmutzig's recommendations. Even at a busy time, the lines at MSP move well. If the gate is usually 21 (that would be the c or g concourse) you will need a 10 minute walk, and maybe at most 30 minutes to get through security. Check in is a breeze. I don't believe I have ever waited more than 20 minutes for tsa, and it is usually closer to 10 minutes.

Things move smoothly at MSP. My wife likes to get there two hours early,and we end up just sitting around for a long time. I use it to go to the observation deck, and I am not so bored.

Funny you mention that, I stayed there one weekend too. Perhaps it was the same one? :p

But I didn't make that mistake, someone else did. I took the pax's status into consideration in my recommendation.
Fairly regularly, actually. You'd be surprised. There are times at MSP, believe it or not, when one of the "regular" lines is faster than the elite lane. Plus, I travel a lot with non-elites, so I usually go through the line with them. Careful about making assumptions. ;)

I've eaten at Ike's twice, both for lunch/dinner. Food was above average and the atmosphere is nice if you grab a booth in the back (you completely forget you're in an airport). The menu is a bit pricey, though, even for an airport.

All of those variations would be covered, IMO, by my last statement in post #2 of "If you want to be extra cautious, maybe tack on an extra 15 minutes to account for some random unexpected delay..."

OP: Obviously there is a little variation in the opinion. I really think you'll be fine arriving no later than one hour before the flight, but it's obviously your call. Best of luck. :)

In PIT, you don't "really" need to be elite or first class to go through that line. They do not check or care, trust me.

As far as in MSP, If you arrive at the airport about one hour ahead of time, you should be fine. Depending on which gate, if it is the C gate, then go to the security line farthest down by the American Airlines, US Airways area. I find this one to be the shortest line.

The last 3-4 times I've flown out of MSP I've arrived 1 hr before departure and easily made it thru the non-elite (I'm just Silver, elite checkpoints all say Gold/Plat only) baggage drops and security despite occasionally 15-20 min lines. If you know where you're going once you're thru security it no more than 5-10 mins to the gate.

I'd say 1:15-1:30 and you can be really confident you'll make it.

I believe it may have been! :p