Here in the northern tier, the bridge to southern China starts.
Minnesota has a long and strong history of both international and domestic adoption, and given the state’s historic ties of transport and trade with Asia, it is no surprise that many families look to fly through Minneapolis / St. Paul.
Northwest Airlines - headquartered here - pioneered the “Great Circle Route” from America through Canada and Alaska to Asia during World War II, and the Minnesota-based flight crews that opened up the first post-war services to Tokyo, Seoul, and China also saw children in need and worked to find them homes in their native countries and in America.
That Minneapolis-Tokyo route is still flown daily by successor Delta Airlines. From Tokyo, Delta and its SkyTeam partners offer same-day connections to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.
MSP is Delta’s 3rd-biggest hub, so same-afternoon connections from the inbound Tokyo flight can be made to every large city in the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast, plus almost every mid-sized community in the North Central states.
Customs Arrival
Even though MSP is a very busy facility, when the Tokyo flight arrives there are usually no other international operations being processed by Customs. As a result, passport checks go quickly; expect a 5-15 minute line.
Baggage claim at MSP, however, is notoriously slow (even for domestic flights.) Even though you can see your aircraft through the windows, waits of 20-40 minutes are not uncommon before your bags show up on the carrousels.
If you have nothing to declare, you may proceed directly to the exit area. If you’re connecting to another Delta flight, check your bags at the Delta counter and then go through security screening. You’ll exit directly back onto Concourse G - the same level you arrived on.
If you’re using another airline, taking ground transport or being picked up, skip the security check and head downstairs to the exit on the domestic baggage claim level.
Navigating the Airport
MSP uses two terminals, spaced several miles apart. Terminal 1 (Lindbergh) is much larger and the home of all Delta and SkyTeam flights, plus United-Continental, USAirways, American, and Frontier-Midwest. Terminal 2 (Humphrey) is the home of low-cost carriers Southwest, AirTran, and Sun Country. There is a free subway link between the terminals, although you’ll need to go through the parking complexes on both sides to use it. As most adoption trips through here will be on Delta, that’s where we focus this article.
Terminal 1 is H-shaped, with four main piers extending from the central ticketing / shopping / baggage claim complex. The longer concourses (A, B, C, and G) are equipped with moving sidewalks, and there is also a tram running between the A - C - D gate areas.
Delta uses the A, B, C, and D gates mostly for regional aircraft and shorter-haul routes. The F and G gates see larger aircraft and longer-haul routes. Gates G1 - G10 can serve international flights; the Tokyo run usually departs from G4.
All other Terminal 1 carriers are located on Concourse E; the long-term plan is to move them to Terminal 2 after that building is expanded.
Family-friendly Amenities and Hidden Gems
In the middle of Concourse C you’ll find a large active play area, where kids can climb, slide, and explore a two-level jetliner.
There are two no-charge open-air “Quiet Seating Areas” in the central complex upstairs on the Mezzanine level, perfect places to close your eyes and get away from crowds between flights. Most local travelers don’t know these rooms exist. Both areas can be reached by elevator, look for the signs by the entrances to Concourses E and F.
Another great place to escape to is off Concourse D, up three flights of stairs to the Observation Deck. You’ll have a panoramic view of the eastern half of the airport and Downtown Minneapolis. There are extra seats here and usually very few travelers. If your kids are a little bit older or fascinated by airplanes, this is the place to find between flights.
Restrooms
MSP could use some improvement in its restrooms. There are only five Family facilities in the secure side of Terminal 1 (near gates A6, B11, C16, near the entrance to Concourse E, and F11.) Standard restroom stalls do not offer much space to manage both your luggage and a child; typically there’s only one slim coathook and no shelving to keep your bags off the floor. Cleanliness is usually acceptable, but most restrooms show heavy wear. (The best facilities are on the A and B concourses; these are the newest parts of the complex, but a long walk from the rest of the gates.)
Food and Shopping
The many choices for eating and shopping at MSP, and their convenience, are award-winning. The “Northstar Crossing” central terminal area houses dozens of stores, sit-down restaurants, and fast food and coffee counters. Ample seating at the central food court looks over the E and F concourses. Each concourse also has its own options, with mini-food courts in the A1, C12, F5, G-entrance, and G20 neighborhoods. You may never even need to venture into Northstar Crossing to find a great meal...
Connectivity
Wi-Fi is available at MSP, but you have to pay for access.
MSP is located on the Hiawatha light-rail line, taking you to Downtown Minneapolis (northbound, 30 minutes) and the Mall of America (southbound, 15 minutes.)
