BlaakLane.com books MSP airport car service from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport at a fixed fare you see before you book. Enter Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, your destination anywhere in the Twin Cities or beyond, and a vehicle class. Your flight is tracked, the chauffeur meets you at the terminal's commercial pickup area, and a vetted Minnesota affiliate named on your confirmation drives.
How to book an MSP car service
Begin with the booker on this page, or open book. The pickup is Minneapolis-Saint Paul International with your airline and flight; the destination might be a downtown Minneapolis tower, the Minneapolis Convention Center, a St Paul hotel near the Capitol, a corporate campus in Eden Prairie or Plymouth, or the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Choose a vehicle and you receive one fixed fare. A snowstorm on I-494 does not add a cent.
When you confirm, the Toronto-based reservations and dispatch desk, running 24/7, assigns a vetted Twin Cities operator from the LimousineWorldwide.Directory network. That operator is contracted to the BlaakLane.com written standard, and your confirmation carries the operator's name, the chauffeur's name and the vehicle.
Terminal 1 or Terminal 2?
MSP has two separate terminals on opposite sides of the airfield, several miles apart by road and connected by the light rail.
- Terminal 1 is the main terminal, a Delta hub, with Concourses A to G. International arrivals are processed at Concourse G.
- Terminal 2 serves Sun Country and several other carriers, including some international and seasonal flights, with its own customs facility.
Do not rely on the terminal names you may have heard (Lindbergh and Humphrey); the airport now signs them as Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Give us your flight number, and dispatch sends the chauffeur to the right building.
Where does the chauffeur wait?
Pre-arranged vehicles and limousines pick up at each terminal's commercial ground transportation area, signposted from baggage claim; at Terminal 1 the route leads from the baggage level to the ground transportation centre. Curbside pickup there is the standard service, and the chauffeur texts you the exact door and zone once you land. In winter that walk is covered or short, so you are not standing on an open curb for long.
Meet and greet inside baggage claim with a name board is an add-on you can choose at booking. Add-ons are only available in selected locations; availability for your time shows in the booker.
International arrivals and customs time
Passengers from Europe, Asia and Mexico clear US Customs and Border Protection at Concourse G in Terminal 1 or at the Terminal 2 customs hall. Allow 30 to 70 minutes from landing to the curb, depending on how many long-haul flights arrive together in the afternoon bank. Global Entry and Mobile Passport Control are both available at MSP.
On international flights, 60 minutes of waiting from the actual landing are included; on domestic flights, 30 minutes. Waiting beyond that is charged in 15-minute blocks.
How long is the drive?
MSP lies between the two downtowns, which keeps most trips short.
| Destination | Typical drive | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Minneapolis | 20-30 min | SR 62 and I-35W, or SR 55 |
| Minneapolis Convention Center | 20-30 min | I-35W |
| Downtown St Paul | 15-25 min | SR 5 or I-494 and I-35E |
| Mall of America and Bloomington hotels | 10-15 min | I-494 |
| University of Minnesota | 20-30 min | SR 55 or I-35W |
| Eden Prairie and Minnetonka | 20-30 min | I-494 and US 212 |
| Plymouth and Wayzata | 25-35 min | I-494 north |
| Rochester and Mayo Clinic | 1 h 20 - 1 h 45 | US 52 south |
| Duluth | 2 h 30 - 3 h | I-35 north |
Minnesota winters are long, and snow is common from November to March. Local chauffeurs drive on winter tyres, and main routes are cleared quickly, but allow extra time after a heavy fall. Minnesota 511 posts road conditions.
Light rail from the terminals
The Metro Blue Line stops at both terminals and runs to downtown Minneapolis in about 25 minutes and to the Mall of America in about 10 minutes, with a transfer to the Green Line for St Paul. Metro Transit publishes schedules. The light rail also connects Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 if you land at one and need the other. With children, heavy bags or a suburban campus, a car avoids transfers in the cold.
Vehicle guide for Twin Cities trips
| Trip | Vehicle class | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Medical-device engineer to a suburban campus | Standard Sedan | 2 passengers, 2 bags |
| Two executives to a downtown headquarters | Luxury Executive Sedan | 2 / 2 |
| Senior leader to a Wayzata dinner | Executive First Class Sedan (Maybach) | 2 / 2 |
| Patient and family to Rochester | Standard Black SUV | 6 / 6 |
| Family with winter luggage to St Paul | Executive Black SUV | 6 / 6 |
| Wedding party to a Minneapolis venue | Luxury Stretch Limo | 8 passengers |
| Sales team to the Convention Center | Sprinter Van | 12 passengers, 12 small bags |
| Group to a Vikings game at US Bank Stadium | Party Bus | 14 passengers |
| Seven executives, carry-on only, to Plymouth | Sprinter Luxury Jet Van | 7 passengers |
SUVs give more clearance in snow and more room for winter coats and bags. Every class is described on the fleet page, and hourly bookings run for at least three hours.
Winter arrivals at MSP
MSP is one of the best-prepared airports in the country for snow, and it rarely closes, but de-icing queues can delay departures and arrivals by an hour on a stormy day. Because every pickup is tracked against the actual landing time, the chauffeur's schedule moves with your aircraft. Dress for the cold between the terminal door and the car, keep gloves in your carry-on, and note in the booking if you are carrying skis or hockey equipment for a trip north. Wind chill in January and February can fall well below zero Fahrenheit, which is another reason many travellers prefer the car to a wait on a light-rail platform.
Travel to Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Many MSP arrivals are patients and families heading to the Mayo Clinic, about 85 miles south. A fixed-fare car door to door avoids the change to a shuttle and suits travellers who are tired after treatment. Note any mobility equipment in the booking, and choose an SUV if you have a folding wheelchair and luggage. The one-way trip is booked as an intercity transfer.
Events and business travel
Downtown Minneapolis is home to a cluster of large corporate headquarters, and suburban campuses to the south and west host medical-device and food companies, so weekday traffic is heavily corporate. The Minnesota State Fair usually runs for twelve days ending on Labor Day, the Twin Cities Marathon is usually in October, and US Bank Stadium hosts NFL games and major concerts. Meet Minneapolis lists events. Teams travelling often can use a corporate account with monthly invoicing, and corporate car service covers regular movements.
Fare, waiting and cancellation
Vehicle, chauffeur, route and included waiting are all inside the fixed fare, and child seats cost nothing extra when requested. Planning ranges are on rates. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; within 72 hours it is 10%, within 48 hours 50%, and within 24 hours or for a no-show 100%.
Departures and other airports
Leave downtown Minneapolis about two hours before a domestic flight and two and a half hours before an international one; winter mornings and holiday weekends need more. Remember which terminal your airline uses, because a drop at the wrong one means a light-rail ride across the airfield. For onward trips we also cover Chicago O'Hare, Detroit Metro and Denver, and our Minneapolis chauffeur service page covers the city.
