Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport has started a pilot of a new system that allows passengers to book a specific time to go through security – for free.
Passengers flying out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) Terminal 2 in the summer of 2023 can reserve a time at the TSA Security Checkpoint screening area through a new pilot program called MSP RESERVE.
At the airport, passengers go to check-in / bagdrop as normal and then to a special MSP RESERVE security late in Terminal 2 at the booked time.
The time slots are valid 15 minutes before and after the specified time so passengers can arrive a little early or late.
Participation in the MSP RESERVE program is optional and free for all Terminal 2 passengers.
Passengers can book the free service regardless of airline or class of travel.
How it works
- Passengers make the booking online by entering their flight details, party size and email address. They can also try to book at Terminal 2.
- They choose a time slot from those offered – these are at fixed times at quarter-hour intervals. Reservations are available 240 to 60 minutes before the scheduled flight time.
- The program is currently available at Terminal 2 between 3:45 am to 8:00 am.
- They can make the booking from seven days hours before departure for themselves and up to nine other passengers.
- Passengers receive an email with their slot details and a QR code.
- At the airport, at the time slot, they go to the MSP RESERVE lane in Terminal 2 and show staff their appointment confirmation.
Other airports with security time slots
MSP is the latest airport to introduce time slots at security and the 13th in North America with this particular system from CLEAR.
Here are a number of airports worldwide who have introduced or trialled security time slots whose installations or trials are covered on passengerselfservice.com.
- Denver is trialling security time slots
- Hamburg Airport introduces security time slots
- Amsterdam Schiphol security time slots for Schengen
- Cologne Airport introduces security time slots
- Munich Airport trials security time slots
- Passengers at Berlin Airport can book security time slots
- Passengers at Canadian airports can book security time slots
- Changi Airport trials security slot time bookings
- Aruba Airport introduces timed entrance to terminal
- MIA trials booked TSA screening times
Free forever?
Clearly this is a successful program. It is used or in trial at 13 airports in North America. It is free – but could that change?
The system comes from CLEAR, a private U.S. company that offers a successful paid-for security process at U.S. airports. The standard price for CLEAR is $189 a year per person.
