MSP Airport Slowly Recovers After Weekend Blizzard, Hundreds of Flights Canceled

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is working to restore normal operations after a powerful blizzard caused widespread flight disruptions over the weekend. While significant cancellations occurred, a substantial number of flights are now departing and arriving on schedule as of Monday morning.

Extent of the Disruptions

The winter storm, which brought 12-18 inches of snow and wind gusts up to 45 mph to the Twin Cities, led to over 660 flight cancellations at MSP Airport between Friday and Monday, according to airport data and reports from KSTP. On Sunday alone, over 700 flights were canceled, while fewer than 200 continued as scheduled. Delta Air Lines, the airport’s primary hub operator, experienced the brunt of the cancellations, along with other carriers including American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, United Airlines, SkyWest Airlines, and Endeavor Air, all of which issued proactive cancellations and travel waivers.

As of 6 a.m. Monday, 41 arriving flights and 19 departing flights had been canceled, but 429 departures and 415 arrivals were expected to proceed as planned. MSN reports that operations are slowly returning to normal.

Travel Impacts and Conditions

The disruptions began on March 14 and were exacerbated by a Blizzard Warning in effect through Monday. The Minnesota State Patrol reported nearly 500 crashes, including one fatality and 40 injuries, between midnight Friday and midnight Monday, alongside 46 spinouts and 651 vehicles off the road, and 19 jackknifed semis. KSTP

Travelers faced significant challenges, with some passengers stranded or forced to reschedule their flights. One traveler reported having to rebook a flight to Tampa with two layovers after a last-minute cancellation. KSTP

Hillary Albertson and her husband encountered hazardous road conditions while traveling to the airport, reporting seeing dozens of cars and semis in ditches. MSN

Looking Ahead

While conditions are improving, another storm system is expected to bring an additional inch or two of snow to the Twin Cities late Tuesday. FOX 9. MSP Airport anticipates serving over 3.3 million passengers during the five-week spring break period ending April 6.