Whether your situation calls for a short nap or an overnight slumber, this sleep guide will give you the essential information needed to prepare you for sleeping in Minneapolis Airport.
Our guide is updated with the help of airport sleepers who tell us about their experiences at Minneapolis Airport. If you have a tip or photos to share, please take a moment to write a review to help us keep this sleep guide up-to-date!
Read the latest traveller reviews.
Sleeping in Minneapolis Airport
Locations & Seating
There’s a good amount of seating throughout the airport, but it tends to have armrests. Terminal 1 is large, so there are many nooks and crannies that offer some quieter floor sleeping spots. In general, Terminal 2 has less foot traffic, especially at night, so it tends to be calmer.
Here are good sleep spots that travellers have reported:
- Terminal 1 – Airside, Mezzanine Level, Level 3. There are two designated quiet areas that have comfortable seats without armrests.
- Terminal 1 – Airside, Gates A13-14 and B13 may be quieter, especially at night.
- Terminal 1 – Airside, Concourse D. The observation deck may offer some peace and quiet
- Terminal 1 – Airside, Concourse E. Some benches without armrests are spread throughout this concourse.
- Pay massage chairs are located randomly throughout the airport, and you may be able to rest in them without paying for a massage.
- Terminal 1 – Baggage Claim, Landside – Pre-Security, in T1’s Baggage Claim area, there are some semi-private patches of carpet behind the escalators.
Rest Zones
Minneapolis Airport offers two designated quiet seating areas where tired travellers can relax and enjoy some stress-free time in comfortable, armrest-free seating. Locations: Terminal 1, inside Security, Mezzanine Level above the Airport Mall.
Temperature
Reviewers mention cold temperatures in the airport, particularly overnight. Arrive prepared with a blanket or even a sleeping bag. A hoodie provides extra warmth if the terminal gets even colder.
Lighting
At the time of this update, we have not received reports from travellers related to terminal brightness. Come prepared with eyeshades or something else to cover your eyes, such as a shirt or towel.
Noise
Daytime sleepers can expect to hear frequent announcements, commotion from busy concourses, and TVs and music playing loudly. At night, it does seem to quiet down a bit, particularly in Terminal 2, but earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones will certainly help you get some decent rest.
Weather Delays
Minneapolis Airport sees more than its fair share of flight cancellations, particularly due to winter weather, but this means they are more prepared than other airports. When mass cancellations happen at Minneapolis Airport, a limited supply of sleeping mats and blankets are available for stranded passengers who opt against getting a hotel room. To find them, ask an airline or airport employee or use a courtesy phone to reach someone who has access to this information. These locations have been sent to us in the past: Terminal 1, pre-Security Mezzanine and inside Security at the Airport Mall in Concourse C and near Gates G1-G6.
Note: these sleep mats cannot be reserved in advance. They are specifically used when mass cancellations occur, not simply because you chose to stay in the airport before your flight.
Showers
Freshen up (and loosen those stiff muscles) with a shower before your flight. Location: XpresSpa at the entrance to Concourse D in T1. Open daily from 6:00AM – 9:00PM; $40 for 30 minutes.
Food & Drink
When you get the midnight munchies or give up trying to sleep and need a coffee to stay awake, 24-hour food concessions are available. Check out these vendors: Camden Food Co. (Terminal 1, Concourse F) and McDonald’s (Terminal 1, Concourse D).
Hotels
Prefer some privacy and comfort? If you would like a good solid sleep between flights, there is a hotel connected to the airport and many nearby hotels within a 10-minute drive of the airport. Most offer free shuttle service. See the hotel section of our Airport Guide for locations or visit Tripadvisor to find hotels deals at Minneapolis Airport.
Lounges
While Minneapolis Airport has a few lounges, none have designated sleep rooms or rest areas. If you just want to relax in a comfortable seat, check out this list of lounges in our Minneapolis Airport Guide that you can pay to access.
Security & Safety
Airport staff seem to tolerate airport sleepers, particularly during mass delays or cancellations. It seems if you’re inside the Secure zones, you can stay there overnight, but security staff may not allow you through the night before an early-morning flight. In that case, you may have to stay in the pre-Secure public zones.
At the time of this update, we have no reports from travellers commenting on safety issues at Minneapolis Airport. As a precaution, here are a few tips to ensure you have a safe airport sleeping experience:
- Know Where Security is Located. Whether you are sleeping in the airport by yourself or with friends, it is good to know where security is. Know where their office is located and look for video cameras in the spot you decide to stay the night. Ask security where it is safe to spend the night. They’ve probably seen many airport sleepers before you and they will direct you to a safe spot.
- Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you are travelling alone we recommend that you sleep near other travellers or close to security.
- Hide Your Valuables. Don’t leave all your mobile devices out in plain view. We have received reports from people who woke up with earphones and no ipod and a laptop bag strap and no laptop bag (or laptop). Same goes with important documents and money. Keep these secure on your body, so that no one can get them without waking you up.
- Secure Your Bags. If you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something. If your bags have zippers turn the bag upside down (zippers to the floor) or sleep with your bag up against the wall, so that it would be hard for someone to access.
- Choose to Stay Alert. If you don’t feel safe, drink coffee and stay awake and be alert. You can always sleep on the plane!
Pro-tip: If you are sleeping in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds waking people up as travellers begin to arrive for morning flights.
Minneapolis Airport Photo Gallery
Write a Review
To help us keep this page up-to-date for future airport sleepers, tell us about your experience sleeping in Minneapolis Airport in the form below.
