A planned $242 million renovation of the main terminal concourses and gate areas at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is being hailed as the largest interior renovation since the building opened in 1962.
The renovation of six of the seven concourses in Terminal 1 is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025, meaning frequent fliers at MSP will continue to contend with seemingly endless construction at the country’s 19th busiest airport.
But it’s all for a good cause, officials from the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and Delta Air Lines said at a news conference Thursday.
“This is about creating an exceptional airport experience for the millions of passengers who travel through MSP to come here, vacation and conduct business so that our economy thrives,” said CEO Brian Ryks of MAC, which runs the airport owns and operates.
The very location of the event, in Concourse F, seemed to illustrate the need for a refresh: Passengers bound for various Florida cities were crammed into gate areas with negligible lighting, and the shade of the concourse’s carpet could benevolently described as dingy denote beige.
The plan calls for a consistent and modern design for the concourses and approximately 75 Delta gates, consistent with largely completed improvements in the terminal’s ticketing and baggage claim areas and in Concourse G.
This will result in terrazzo flooring in the passenger corridors of Concourses A, C, D and G, as well as new carpeting in Concourses B and F. New wall coverings are planned, including granite in public corridors and tiles in the Delta gate areas, as well as brighter LED lighting , technology upgrades to flight and gate information screens, and gate seating with more power outlets.
“These renovations will impact everything Delta passengers will see and experience, from security checkpoints to their gates,” Ryks said.
The MAC is investing $182.5 million of its own funds in the overall project, with Delta, MSP’s dominant airline, contributing $60 million; No tax money is used. The planned expansion of Terminal 2, home to Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines, was not part of Thursday’s announcement.
The initial reviews of the project were positive.
“MSP is one of the most efficient airports in the country, but some of its concourses could definitely use a little love to get with the times,” said Kyle Potter, editor-in-chief of The Thrifty Traveler website.
MAC and Delta officials said Thursday they remain optimistic about post-pandemic travel demand.
“The good news is that travel demand remains very strong, especially as we prepare for our busy holiday season here,” said Jeannine Ashworth, Delta’s vice president of airport operations at MSP.
The Atlanta-based airline continues to add flights next year from Minnesota, including Dublin, Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean, Syracuse, NY, and Cozumel, Mexico.
“With these new destinations and improved service, we will have 40% more seats from Minneapolis in the coming years,” Ashworth said. “That’s why the project to modernize the waiting area and gates is so important. It is the latest example of Delta’s ongoing work to modernize the terminal and improve the travel experience for our customers in Minneapolis.”
Officials said there would be little disruption to flight operations during the renovation work as much of the work will be done overnight. Delta’s gates will remain open during construction.
The renovation will be divided into three phases managed by Delta officials. Work on Concourses D and F began in October and renovation of Concourse C will begin in February. Improvements to Concourses A, B, G and the Skyway Bridge connecting Concourses C and G are planned for 2025.
The interior renovation will span 378,000 square feet and include many of the design changes the MAC made with the expansion of the ticket lobby and baggage claim areas, as well as the modernization of Concourse G between gates G17 and G22.
“Like many airports across the country that pushed major infrastructure improvements when travel was virtually nonexistent during the worst part of the pandemic, MSP rightly focused on the major expansion down in G Concourse,” Potter said.
The $80 million expansion of the G Concourse in 2022 also created space for a third Delta Sky Club in the MSP.
“This space features brand new concessions, increased natural light, higher ceilings and new seating. If this is the model for this project, travelers will have a treat no matter what gate they are at,” Potter said.
With Thursday’s announcement, the MAC will have invested more than $1 billion in curb-to-gate upgrades since 2016.
This includes a $525 million project to expand the terminal by 30,000 square meters; redesigned ticket and baggage levels, including new baggage carousels; consolidated checkpoints and improved central elevators and escalators. The program is in its final stages and work continues on new ticket counters and baggage systems at the north end of the terminal.
And next year, work on G Concourse will continue and will include $330 million in renovations that will double the seating capacity of gates G8 through G13, two new restrooms and additional space for concessions.
The MAC is also investing $6.5 million to remodel gate and ramp areas in Departure Halls B and C to accommodate larger Delta aircraft.