What Twin Cities travelers should know ahead of Thanksgiving snowstorm

The first significant snow of the coming winter in the Twin Cities is forecast to land right in time for a spike in holiday air travel.

As Minnesotans prepared to fly in or out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) during the Thanksgiving holiday travel rush, employees were ready to unleash heavy equipment to clear the runways, as an upgraded weather advisory threatened several inches of snow.

As of Tuesday afternoon, up to 6 inches of snow and strong wind gusts were possible in the Twin Cities. Even heavier snowfall, between 8 and 12 inches, was predicted near Duluth.

Travel experts advised anyone flying during the peak times to take precautionary steps to make it to their destinations.

“Give yourself extra time. That’s really the most important thing you can do,” said Henry Harteveldt of Atmosphere Research Group.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported in its air traffic control notifications no significant operational issues at MSP on Tuesday, though pilots were navigating through low visibility as a dense fog hung over the metro and rainfall began in the afternoon. About a quarter of arrivals and half of departures were delayed, and no flights were canceled, according to data from flight tracking website Flightradar24.

MSP instituted its winter weather protocols to prepare for the season’s first substantial snow. Much of the snowfall was forecast late Tuesday and in the early hours Wednesday, when the airport has fewer scheduled flights.

The busiest travel day ahead of Thanksgiving is Wednesday, with nearly 47,000 passengers expected to depart. Sunday will be even busier, with 49,000 departing passengers. Even more will come through the airport as arrivals or through connecting flights.

The uptick comes as airlines scaled their operations back to full force after an FAA-mandated slowdown during the federal government shutdown, which required air traffic controllers to work without pay. At MSP, Thanksgiving travel looked about 2.3% lighter than in 2024, as domestic bookings slowed this year, according to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company.

Many holiday travelers were preparing this year to hit the road, which could cause traffic congestion. Any trouble spots on the highways were likely to change throughout the day, and highway officials were asking motorists to check conditions before leaving the house and give snowplow drivers room on the road, said MnDOT spokesperson Anne Meyer.

With poor weather on the horizon, travelers should give themselves extra time to account for longer lines or any accidents blocking the roads on the way to the airport, Harteveldt said. Snow is typically less disruptive than rain, Harteveldt said, though how well a storm is managed often comes down to the storm and the airport.

Harteveldt said travelers should double-check reservations, pack bags neatly for security lines, fully charge devices before takeoff and remain patient.

Kyle Potter, executive editor of the Minnesota-based Thrifty Traveler website, said travelers should expect some delays. He said to look out for advisories from airlines and, in some cases, consider changing a flight if it makes sense. The stakes of traveling during the holidays are higher, and one wrench in the gears can lead to cascading problems in a busy system.

Winter weather can grind operations to a halt in some airports, even in the Midwest. But at MSP, Potter said, Minnesotans are blessed to have a top-notch operation.