Officials at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are gearing up for the annual deluge of fall travelers this weekend due to the statewide teachers conference, typically one of the busiest weekends of the year at the airport.
During MEA weekend (short for Minnesota Education Association), high volumes of travelers will likely surge at baggage claims, loading zones and parking ramps at both terminals, according to the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which operates MSP. K-12 schools across the state close for the annual union-sponsored teachers conference.
“MEA weekend is always controlled chaos at MSP, and I wouldn’t expect anything different this go-around,” said Kyle Potter, executive editor of the Thrifty Traveler website. “We Minnesotans love our fall getaways, and nothing will change that. Don’t expect an empty seat next to you flying out of or back to MSP.”
MAC CEO Brian Ryks agrees.
“We expect to see high volumes of passengers in our ticketing lobbies, and corresponding activity along our roadways for passenger drop-off and pickup,” he said.
Passengers navigate Terminal 1 of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in the lead-up to MEA weekend Wednesday. (Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Here’s what you need to know:
Busiest day: Thursday is expected to be the busiest day of the long weekend, with some 52,000 people expected to clear Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints at both terminals.
Second busiest day: Wednesday, with more than 49,000 travelers clearing TSA checkpoints. The weekend generally ends on Sunday (because students and teachers need to go back to school). The two busiest days this year are expected to be slightly busier than the same days in 2023, when more than 99,000 people were screened, according to the TSA.
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