MSP Airport Parking Guide: Lots, Light Rail and Cheaper Options

Where can you park at MSP?

MSP is run by the Metropolitan Airports Commission, and all of its public parking is official airport parking. There are four choices for a normal trip, plus short-stay hourly parking for pick-ups and drop-offs. ^[1]

Option	Where	How you reach the terminal	Best for
Daily Parking	Seven ramps at Terminal 1	Skyway on Level 3 or Level T walkways	Long trips where walking time matters
Value Parking	Orange and Purple Ramps at Terminal 2	Walk at Terminal 2, or free light rail to Terminal 1	Covered parking at a lower rate
Quick Ride Ramp	5315 Northwest Drive, on the airport campus	Free shuttle to Terminal 1 or 2	The lowest rate on a long stay
Valet	Terminal 1	Drive up and hand over the keys	No time limit and a short walk

The Terminal 1 Daily ramps are the Green, Gold, Blue, Red, Silver, Pink and Brown Ramps. Green and Gold connect to the terminal through enclosed skyways on Level 3. Blue, Red, Silver, Pink and Brown connect on Level T. ^[1]

Value Parking at Terminal 2 is in the Orange and Purple Ramps, and it connects to Terminal 1 by free light rail. ^[2]

For the bigger picture across airports, see the airport parking guides and our guide to cheap airport parking.

Which terminal are you flying from?

MSP has two terminals, and they are not close together. Terminal 1 is at 4300 Glumack Drive in St. Paul, and Terminal 2 is at 7150 Humphrey Drive in Minneapolis. ^[1] Parking at the wrong one is the most common way to lose time here.

The official site lists the airlines at each terminal, and its prebooking tool recommends a terminal based on the airline you pick. ^[2] Check your airline first, then choose a lot. Our editorial policy explains that we take lot details only from official airport pages, and the rate table shows the date each price was checked. If you are comparing several cities, our Seattle-Tacoma guide and San Francisco guide are written the same way.

For Terminal 1, the Daily ramps are the direct choice, and Valet is available if you want the car handled for you. For Terminal 2, Value Parking is next to the terminal. If your flight leaves from Terminal 1 and you want a lower rate, Value Parking at Terminal 2 plus the free train is a real option, but you then need to budget for the train ride and the walk at both ends.

How does the Quick Ride Ramp work?

The Quick Ride Ramp is on the MSP campus at 5315 Northwest Drive, St. Paul. From Highway 5, you exit onto Post Road, take the immediate turn north onto Northwest Drive, and the ramp is on your left. ^[3]

A free 24/7 shuttle picks you up at your vehicle and drives you to Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, and back when you return. At Terminal 1 the shuttle uses the Brown Ramp lobby near the Ground Transport Center. At Terminal 2 it uses the Ground Transport Center on the ground level of the Purple Ramp. ^[3]

Some practical details from the official pages:

• Motorcycle parking is on the ground level on the northwest side of the ramp. ^[3]
• The ramp clearance is 9 feet 10 inches, higher than the Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 value ramps. ^[8]
• MSP also runs an accessible shuttle with a wheelchair lift for passengers with mobility challenges and special needs, every 20 minutes from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. For other hours, call dispatch at 612-794-4147. ^[7]

The official page does not publish a fixed shuttle schedule for the regular service, so leave extra time on the way out, especially for an early flight. For a morning departure, plan to reach the ramp early enough that the shuttle ride and security line do not eat your buffer. More general advice on comparing options is in our parking guides.

Can you use light rail between terminals?

Yes, and it is one of the most useful things to know about MSP. Moving between the terminals is free on light rail, and trains run between them around the clock, seven days a week, about every 15 minutes. ^[9]

That changes how you choose a lot. If you park at Terminal 2 but fly from Terminal 1, the train is the link. If your plans change and you end up at the wrong terminal, the train is also the fix, so do not panic and drive between them.

For trips from home, MSP lists light rail and public buses as ways to reach the airport, as well as app-based ride services, taxis and shuttles. ^[9] Ride prices change by time and demand, so try the parking vs rideshare calculator before deciding for a short trip.

How do you pay, prebook and avoid height problems?

Parking at MSP has automated entrances and exits, so there is usually no line. You can prebook online and scan a QR code to enter and exit. Without a reservation, you use the same credit or debit card to enter and leave. ^[1]

Cash and checks are not accepted at MSP parking facilities. All major credit and debit cards work at the drive-up pay stations. If you only have cash, there are four cash-to-card machines inside the terminals: three at Terminal 1 on the Departures Level and one at Terminal 2 on the Departures Level. ^[8] Valet is credit card only. ^[4]

Rates on the official pages exclude tax, and applicable taxes are added at checkout. ^[8] Prebooked parkers are guaranteed a place to park, and MSP says they stand to save on drive-up rates. ^[8] Vehicles that exceed the posted height limits may not use the prebooked option, and the official page gives these clearances:

• Terminal 1 Daily ramps: 7 feet
• Terminal 2 Value Parking: 7 feet
• Terminal 2 Hourly Parking: 8 feet 2 inches
• Quick Ride Ramp: 9 feet 10 inches ^[8] If you drive a tall van, a roof box or a truck with a rack, measure first. The Brown Ramp at Terminal 1 has a higher clearance of 9 feet 2 inches. ^[9]

What about pick-ups, hourly parking and EV charging?

Both terminals have hourly parking meant for pick-ups and drop-offs. At Terminal 1 it is on Level 3 of the Gold Ramp and is limited to visits shorter than 4 hours. ^[5] At Terminal 2 it is in the Orange and Purple Ramps, next to the Express Lane drop-off and pick-up area. ^[6]

If you are picking someone up and do not want to pay to park, MSP has complimentary cell phone waiting lots roughly halfway between the terminals on Post Road. You wait there until your passenger calls. ^[7]

Electric vehicle charging is free, first come first served, and has no length-of-stay limit. At Terminal 1 it is on Level 8 of the Blue, Red and Silver Ramps, and the Silver Ramp has the most stations. At Terminal 2 it is on Level 7 of the Orange Ramp. ^[7]

Other useful services: the ramps are patrolled and under camera surveillance, the Airport Police offer parking ramp escorts on request, and call stations are under the blue lights on columns in each section. ^[7]