"Arrive Early": Officials at MSP Airport say they expect July 4th travel to be at an all-time high

MSP Airport, Video Board, Flight Delays
Video boards at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport display flight statuses, something travelers might want to keep an eye on thanks to very heavy traffic across the country as people get out of town for the long July 4th holiday. Photo credit (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

With the Fourth of July holiday quickly approaching travel through MSP Airport is expected to be at an all time high.

Jeff Lea with Metropolitan Airports Commission says planning an early arrival time at the airport may shorten wait times at TSA check points.

"We have a new program called MSP RESERVE at Terminal 2," says Lea. "It's a way for passengers to reserve a time to go through the security checkpoint and the early morning hours up until 8:00 a.m. That's a time when we have the busiest checkpoint queue lines."

The MSP RESERVE program has its own dedicated lane at the TSA Checkpoints, reducing the wait time for those who participate. The MSP RESERVE program allows guests to schedule a specific time for their TSA security screening. Passengers can either schedule an appointment ahead of time or scan the QR code on MSP RESERVE signs as you arrive at MSP. When it is time for your appointment, head to the Security Checkpoint and share the QR code to enter the MSP RESERVE line

Lea says the TSA is anticipating its largest number of travelers over the holiday weekend since pre-pandemic times.

"The TSA is saying that this Friday could be one of the busiest days since the pandemic began," says Lea. "And so certainly there's going to be a lot of folks trying to get out ahead of the weekend, and ahead of July 4th."

Those waits are happening all across the country where there has been chaos already thanks to some weather issues.

Related

Travelers suffered through another day of cancellations. It could get worse as holiday approaches
Travelers suffered through another day of cancellations. It could get worse as holiday approaches

Hundreds of thousands of summer travelers suffered through another day of delayed and canceled flights Wednesday, and experts say it might be a troubling glimpse into what could happen over the long July 4 holiday weekend as airlines struggle to keep up with surging numbers of passengers.

By early evening on the East Coast, nearly 5,800 U.S. flights had been delayed and 1,000 more were canceled, according to FlightAware.

Huge crowds, bad weather, inability of some airline crews to reach their scheduling offices — even a Delta jet that made a belly landing in Charlotte, North Carolina — all contributed to the mess.

The FAA predicted that Thursday would be the heaviest travel day over the July 4 holiday period.

Featured Image Photo Credit: (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)