Twin Cities airport-parking strategies

It doesn’t make a lot of sense to save a bundle on airfare, then blow some of it on inopportune parking. Here then are a few strategies to get the most out of your parking dollar at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP), a prime hub for Northwest Airlines.

It doesn’t matter from which terminal at MSP your flight is departing from (most flights, including Northwest’s leave from the Lindbergh), you can save considerably by parking your car at the Humphrey Terminal’s General Parking ramp.

Park in the Humphrey General Parking ramp and save $4 per day over the rate at the Lindbergh General Parking ramp. On a long trip, that’s significant. Both the Lindbergh and the Humphrey Terminals are connected via the fast, efficient Hiawatha light rail system. It’s free.

“It’s important for people to realize they have options when parking at the airport,” says Arlie Johnson, Minneapolis/St. Paul’s assistant airport director for landside (before security) operations. Those options include everything from somewhat pricey valet parking for those in a hurry, to general parking; and locations from the lower-priced Humphrey Terminal, to the higher-priced Lindbergh Terminal.

There is a price to pay for saving money, however. And that’s time. If you’re flying out of the Lindbergh Terminal, but parking at he Humphrey, allow as much as a half hour extra to walk from the parking ramp to the light rail system.

In search of further Twin Cities savings? It’s $2 per day cheaper to use the airport’s automated e-park payment system. Insert your credit card in the kiosk at the parking ramp entrance to mark the time you arrived. Then, insert the same credit card into an automated payment kiosk at the exit, when you’re ready to leave. Push a button, and get a receipt.

A full day’s parking for e-park passengers at the Humphrey Terminal is $12. The same rate over at the Lindbergh is $16. Use a cashier, and the rates are $14 and $18 respectively.

Parking is relatively plentiful at Minneapolis/St Paul International. There are some 17,000 spaces.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler