Connection at MSP?

[goodml]

Flyertalker, or anyone who has knowledge about Minneapolis/St Paul airport, I am in the process of booking flights for my sister and I from Detroit to Vancouver on NW. The flight to YVR is non-stop but the one coming back connects at MSP. The best priced flight has a connection time of 1 hour 5 mins. There are several others that follow later the shortest of which is over 3 hours connection time.

 

My experience with connections is pretty limited. I try really really hard to always fly non-stop and the only times I've had connections is trips to Europe. In those cases the layovers have been much longer than this and I've usually had to change terminals.

 

Is there any problem making this connection? How user friendly is MSP? We won't have to collect our luggage or go through security or anything, correct? I'm a pretty relaxed traveller so I won't freak out if we miss it because I know there are later flights but I'd love to book this one and avoid hanging around the airport if possible.

 

Thanks in advance.:)

[JJPNYC]

MSP is a pretty user friendly airport. All connections in the main terminal where NW operates is post security. However one concourse where NW operates from is fairly long (there is a tram train though).

 

My one thing with the state of air travel today is that a 1 hr 5 minute connection doesn't leave much wiggle room in case something goes wrong. I might feel more comfortable with a longer layover just so there is more time for the connection and that you have a seat on your connecting flights (one problem with planes flying so full today is that if you miss a connection it can be some time until you get the next flight if all of the other flights are full).

 

Just my two cents.

[FlyerTalker]

I go through MSP a good deal, and I would say that it is a very doable connection, but you might have to be rushing through the terminal if you have any kind of delay. MSP is a sprawling airport, with long concourses. The good news is that there are moving walkways in many of them. The bad news is that you might still have a 10-20 minute hike between gates.

 

There are a lot of flights between MSP and DTW - they do get filled up though. So you have some backup if you misconnect. You would already have pre-cleared customs and immigration at YVR, and there is no security re-screening, so that's out of the way.

 

As was mentioned, you don't have much wiggle room. I would book this if the only other alternative was a 3+ hour connect, but then, I know how to move my butt through an airport to make a connect. Also, how risk-adverse are you? How much carry-on will you be dragging?

 

Try playing with the "select by schedule" feature at nwa.com - often the computer will try to force the tightest connect when you have other options that aren't being displayed. See what your pricing would be selecting a slightly longer connect. Also, NW often runs multiple hub-to-hub flights within minutes of each other. Sometimes, the fares are vastly different depending on which of those you select.

[goodml]

Thank you both so much.

 

Flyertalk, here is what is available. I'm not averse to running through terminals and my sister will follow blindly behind me:D (and she's older!) but if you wouldn't mind giving me your opinion on these I'd be really grateful.

 

Dep YVR 8:35 am Arr MSP 2:03 pm

Dep MSP 3:10 pm Arr DTW 6:01 pm

 

OR:

Dep MSP 5:05 pm Arr DTW 7:58 pm

 

OR:

Dep MSP 5:10 pm Arr DTW 8:04 pm

 

OR:

Dep MSP 6:50 pm Arr DTW 9:43 pm

 

There are later ones but you get the drift. I guess my question would be, how eager (:D ) are the NW folks to help you if you miss a connection due to one of their planes being late? Just don't want to have unrealistic expectations. If we decide to go with the three hour layover is there anything to do in the terminal (dinner, shopping, Starbucks?)

 

Once again thank you so much for your contributions on this board and I appreciate your assistance.

[jimc_usa]

MSP is my home airport so I know it very well - here is a printable map

http://www.mspairport.com/msp/docs/map_lind_2007.pdf

Shopping and restaurants

http://www.mspairport.com/msp/appdocs/guides/shop_and_eat.pdf

There should be no problem - but as Flyertalker said, because MSP and DTW are NW hubs there will be several more flights,in fact I believe there are at least 3 more flights to DTW after yours by NW. Assuming the flights are not full you should have no problems getting the next flight.

 

Good Luck

[J-man]

I don't have much to add. It's doable, slightly risky due to the frequency of delays these days, but not incredibly risky because there are a multitude of MSP-DTW flights. The airport itself is one of the nicer ones in the U.S., with plenty of dining options and a pleasant shopping mall area in between all of the concourses.

[goodml]

MSP is my home airport so I know it very well - here is a printable map

http://www.mspairport.com/msp/docs/map_lind_2007.pdf

Shopping and restaurants

http://www.mspairport.com/msp/appdocs/guides/shop_and_eat.pdf

There should be no problem - but as Flyertalker said, because MSP and DTW are NW hubs there will be several more flights,in fact I believe there are at least 3 more flights to DTW after yours by NW. Assuming the flights are not full you should have no problems getting the next flight.

 

Good Luck

 

Thanks so much for the maps. That's very helpful - gives me a bit of perspective as to how far we could conceivably have to hoof it in a short period of time. I guess DTW's new NW terminal sort of pales in comparison doesn't it:). On the upside, we could definitely keep busy for a couple of hours!

 

What would be the procedure if we were to miss our connection? Do we see a gate agent?

[FlyerTalker]

I've found the staff at MSP to be quite good. If you miss your connect because you were dawdling at a shop or restaurant - that's one thing that won't necessarily endear you to the GA's. However, if you have a delayed inbound, they'll do what they can to get you moving.

 

A couple of tips: Go online and find out what gates your flights are scheduled to arrive and depart from. Then look that up on a map and figure out the best route for your jaunt through the terminal. (Hidden tip - there is a connector with a moving walkway from the high end of the G concourse over to C. Often better to use that rather than go through the terminal itself, since there is no walkway there.) Also note that there is no walkway in F - you have to hoof it on your own.

 

There are golf-carts that can help take you from gate to gate - usually for the elderly, but in a pinch I'd look for one to help you. The are labeled for the concourses they operate in; no sense getting one that doesn't go in your direction. Tips are customary for the driver.

 

Finally, if you are running late, stop and ask the gate agent at your arriving flight if they would call your gate and let them know you are on your way. (I would have your names and flight numbers on a small piece of paper, so that he can call while you start running. I keep a little notepad in my bag, so it's easy to make as you are taxiing in.) It may or may not do anything positive, but I'm a try anything kind of guy.

[goodml]

You guys are absolute gold!! Thank you so much!:)

[goodml]

Just as an FYI, I decided to go ahead and take a chance on the short connection. As of now (and I realize many things can change in the next 2 mths) our plane lands at C4 and the connection leaves from D2 which really couldn't be a whole lot closer. So I'm gambling. If it turns out to be major drama I'll have a great story to tell:D . Thanks again everyone.

[steve20832]

I have been to MSP many times and the airport was just remodeled (Still working on it but you don't notice much construction going on.) They just opened the 4th runway about a year or so ago so it can handle more airplane traffic. Gates A, B and the higher end of C are the NWA Express planes. Gate E is non-NWA gates, G is International and KLM(mostly jumbo jets). Everything else is NWA at that aiport. Even if your gate changes, you will probably go in and out of C, D, or F unless you are flying NWA express then you will be at A, B, or C.

It is a long walk from A-B to F but hopefully you won't have to do that.

Hope that helps.

P.S., if you ever visit Minneapolis, try to fly into the HHH terminal, security is never more than 5 minutes. My only complaint is there is nothing to eat there.

Here is a map of the airport

 

[goodml]

Thanks Steve, that's really helpful info.:)

[FlyerTalker]

Gates A, B and the higher end of C are the NWA Express planes. Gate E is non-NWA gates, G is International and KLM(mostly jumbo jets). Everything else is NWA at that aiport. Even if your gate changes, you will probably go in and out of C, D, or F unless you are flying NWA express then you will be at A, B, or C.

It is a long walk from A-B to F but hopefully you won't have to do that.

 

A couple of mnor clarifications. NW calls their regional affiliates "Northwest Airlink". Not relevant for either the YVR-MSP or the MSP-DTW legs - both are mainline service. The G concourse is also used for NW domestic operations as well, not just international (though all international operate at the low numbers of G). So NW mainline flights might use C, D, F, or G. I don't believe NW uses anything on E, but that can always change. Moving walkways along the length of C and G, not in F.

 

The Concourse Connector bridge between G18 and C13 is the one I mentioned with the moving walkway. The vertical green line is the tram that has three stops - C1, C12 and C26.

 

P.S., if you ever visit Minneapolis, try to fly into the HHH terminal, security is never more than 5 minutes. My only complaint is there is nothing to eat there.

There are only a few airlines that use the Humphrey Terminal: AirTran, Midwest, Sun Country, and charter operators Miami Air, Champion Air, Xtra Airways and Ryan International.

 

BTW, that's some graphic to include!!

[J-man]

I don't believe NW uses anything on E, but that can always change.

NW was trying to get the MAC (airport commission) to move all other majors over to the Humphrey terminal. Then bankruptcy hit and they had other fish to fry. You never know...

[steve20832]

NW was trying to get the MAC (airport commission) to move all other majors over to the Humphrey terminal. Then bankruptcy hit and they had other fish to fry. You never know...

 

That may happen in the future since the Humphrey terminal will be 22 gates when it's done but right now it's only 9 gates which won't hold 10 airlines (Sun Country Air has a hub there too.)

[goodml]

Just a word of thanks to all who posted advice on this thread. We flew home Tuesday evening through MSP and as per your advice, I was armed with my list of later flights to DTW and NW's 800#, my map of MSP and the gate number for my connection. As it turns out there was very poor weather in Minneapolis and we were put in a holding pattern for about 35 mins coming in from Vancouver. We were originally supposed to be in row 25 but I had gone to the counter at YVR and asked if we could be moved closer to the front of the plane and they put us in row 7 which was great. By the time we deplaned we had about 20 mins before our scheduled departure. Luckily we came in at G18 and you folks had told me about the bridge to C (we departed from C6) so we ran like fools over to C6. Turns out the plane we were to depart from was also delayed and hadn't arrived yet which was actually great because it gave us time to hit the bathroom! Got onboard the plane and then it was delayed due to mechanical problems. People on board got really really hostile towards the flight crew which seemed ridiculous to me but whatever. Probably 30 people got off the plane in a huff to try to find other flights. We actually ended up back in DTW about an hour and 20 mins late.

 

So, long story short, thanks again to everyone here for all the tips. We felt totally prepared for whatever cropped up and we wouldn't have been if not for the great info received here.

[wrp96]

It is a long walk from A-B to F but hopefully you won't have to do that.

 

The last time I connected at MSP I came in at F16 and left from A14, and I had 20 minutes from the time the first flight landed until the 2nd flight was scheduled to depart. Believe me, that is one long RUN!

[goodml]

The last time I connected at MSP I came in at F16 and left from A14, and I had 20 minutes from the time the first flight landed until the 2nd flight was scheduled to depart. Believe me, that is one long RUN!

 

:D Yes somehow you just don't get how long those corridors are from the map! Since we had some time to kill with the delay, we went for a walk. It's a VERY long way from A to D even and F is further still.

[FlyerTalker]

We felt totally prepared for whatever cropped up and we wouldn't have been if not for the great info received here.

You are very welcome....I am a BIG believer in being prepared (possibly from my days as a Boy Scout??). You had a game plan, were ready to act, and knew you were in as good shape as you could be.

 

The request to move to the front of the plane was a good one. Saved at least 3-5 minutes.

[steve20832]

Just a word of thanks to all who posted advice on this thread. We flew home Tuesday evening through MSP and as per your advice, I was armed with my list of later flights to DTW and NW's 800#, my map of MSP and the gate number for my connection. As it turns out there was very poor weather in Minneapolis and we were put in a holding pattern for about 35 mins coming in from Vancouver. We were originally supposed to be in row 25 but I had gone to the counter at YVR and asked if we could be moved closer to the front of the plane and they put us in row 7 which was great. By the time we deplaned we had about 20 mins before our scheduled departure. Luckily we came in at G18 and you folks had told me about the bridge to C (we departed from C6) so we ran like fools over to C6. Turns out the plane we were to depart from was also delayed and hadn't arrived yet which was actually great because it gave us time to hit the bathroom! Got onboard the plane and then it was delayed due to mechanical problems. People on board got really really hostile towards the flight crew which seemed ridiculous to me but whatever. Probably 30 people got off the plane in a huff to try to find other flights. We actually ended up back in DTW about an hour and 20 mins late.

 

So, long story short, thanks again to everyone here for all the tips. We felt totally prepared for whatever cropped up and we wouldn't have been if not for the great info received here.

 

Northwest always has delayed flights. It happens more often in the winter because 2 out of 3 hubs they have get lots of snow (Minneapolis and Detroit.) Memphis is the other hub but isn't a big airport compared to MSP and Detroit. I have been to MSP many times and it is a very nice airport now that it has been remodeled. I would really like to see Southwest or Jetblue move into MSP.

[jimc_usa]

MSP closed a runway for long awaited contruction and repairs, unfortunately it has added to the delays. But having said that(touch wood) I have flown out of MSP every week in the last few months and never had a delay.

[goodml]

It was sort of funny with the delay. We kept watching all these people getting snarky with the flight attendants and then storming off the plane and all the while the rain was coming down in sheets,the wind was just howling and there was thunder and lightning. So we finally taxi out and take off in this horrendous storm, and the plane honestly, was rocking back and forth and bouncing around wildly as it's climbing. I'm thinking, holy #$%&, this is going to be one of those times where all the people who got off are saying, wow I was supposed to be on that plane but something told me to get off!! My sister kept saying, "is this normal?" and I'm saying, "yeah it's fine, no worries." Meanwhile, it was the first time in my life I was truly nervous flying:D! Anyway, all the drama in my brain was thankfully, not necessary and it of course only took a minute or two and we were well above the turbulence but it definitely had me white knuckling it a bit for a while there. Lots of fun!

[jimc_usa]

It was sort of funny with the delay. We kept watching all these people getting snarky with the flight attendants and then storming off the plane and all the while the rain was coming down in sheets,the wind was just howling and there was thunder and lightning. So we finally taxi out and take off in this horrendous storm, and the plane honestly, was rocking back and forth and bouncing around wildly as it's climbing. I'm thinking, holy #$%&, this is going to be one of those times where all the people who got off are saying, wow I was supposed to be on that plane but something told me to get off!! My sister kept saying, "is this normal?" and I'm saying, "yeah it's fine, no worries." Meanwhile, it was the first time in my life I was truly nervous flying:D! Anyway, all the drama in my brain was thankfully, not necessary and it of course only took a minute or two and we were well above the turbulence but it definitely had me white knuckling it a bit for a while there. Lots of fun!

 

 

 

I know we cannot help our thinking - my thinking is I am so well insured by Amex and my company when I fly, that I probably be hit by a truck and the DW will get nothing :D