ST PAUL, Minn. — MSP Airport is kicking off a $242 million makeover that looks to transform Terminal 1.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and Delta Air Lines are funding the project, which will revamp six concourses and 75 gate areas in Terminal 1.
"These are important investments to maintain our award-winning passenger satisfaction rankings as MSP has earned the best large airport in North America for six out of the past seven years," said Brian Ryks, executive director and CEO of the MAC.
The multi-year "Airport Modernization Program" will transform concourses A, B, C, D, F and G and 75 Delta gate hold rooms. MAC leaders said Delta serves seven of every ten passengers at MSP Airport.
"These renovations will impact everything that Delta passengers will see and experience from security checkpoints to the gates. This latest investment continues work we started in another major project back in 2016, modernizing the entire entrance side of Terminal 1, work that is currently in its final phase," Ryks said.
He went on to say, “It’s another major investment to create brighter, more modern spaces that complement MSP’s award-winning customer service.”
AMP improvements will include replacing much of the carpet in favor for more accessible and durable Terrazzo flooring. Concourses B and F will receive new carpet. Other improvements include new wall finishes, brighter and more sustainable LED lighting, new gate seating with power outlets, updated gate information display screens and more.
"This is the first time that we have partnered with Delta in a project of this magnitude where Delta is actually managing the construction project," Ryks said.
MAC is contributing $182.5 million and Delta is investing $60 million. Work began on concourses D and F in October. Concourse C will be renovated in February 2024, followed by concourses A, B, G and a skyway bridge in 2025.
"We're going to increase 40% of our seats here out of Minneapolis over the next couple of years so we expect it to be very strong," said Jeannine Ashworth, vice president of airport operations for MSP for Delta Air Lines.
Planning on flying Delta sometime within those dates? Not to worry. Airport leaders said Delta's gates will be open throughout the construction, with the heavy workloads set to take place overnight.
This will be the largest interior renovation of concourses and passenger gate areas in Terminal 1 since 1962. The terminal had just two concourses at that time, and in years since has grown to more than six times the original size, according to MSP.
Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of 2025. Once concourse renovations are completed, the MAC will have invested more than $1 billion in projects over the past decade to transform Terminal 1.
Other MAC-funded projects are currently underway at Terminal 1, including the expansion of Concourse G.
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