Why flights get delayed at MSP
Snow and extreme cold
MSP is well equipped for winter, but de-icing and snow clearing still add time to departures.
Summer thunderstorms
Severe storms cross the Upper Midwest in late spring and summer and can stop traffic for an hour or more.
Hub knock-on effects
As a Delta hub, MSP inherits delays from connecting banks and late inbound aircraft.
Flying through MSP soon? How to prepare
- Time it well.
- Know your airline's commitments. Check what your airline has promised for delays and cancellations in our airline policy guides, or see how to check it yourself.
- Line up a backup. Note the next couple of flights on your route before you leave home.
- Connecting here? Keep both flights on one ticket and choose a layover with room to spare above the minimum connection time.
The full list is in our pre-trip checklist.
Airlines most affected
Minneapolis-St. Paul is a hub or major base for Delta Air Lines and Sun Country Airlines. When the airport slows down, these airlines have the most flights to re-plan, but they also have the most later departures to rebook you onto. What you are offered during a delay depends on the carrier.
Check the live status
- The FAA shows current ground stops and delay programs for MSP at nasstatus.faa.gov.
- Departure boards, terminal and security information are on the official Minneapolis-St. Paul website.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled at MSP
- Find the real cause. Ask the gate agent, then compare it with the FAA status above. The cause decides what the airline owes you: see is it really a weather delay?
- Know your refund right. If the flight is cancelled, or delayed three hours or more (six for international), you can decline to travel and get your money back.
- Line up alternatives first. Look at later flights, other airlines and the alternate airports below before you reach the desk.
- Ask for what the airline has committed to. For delays within its control, that usually means a meal after three hours and a hotel overnight. Here is what to say.
The full walkthrough is in what to do when your flight is delayed.
Alternate airports near MSP
Minneapolis-St. Paul has no other major commercial airport within a short drive, so rebooking onto a later flight or another airline from MSP itself is usually the practical option.