We will be flying out of the smaller terminal in a couple weeks (Jan 5th) with Sun Country. Has anyone recently flown out of there? I am wondering how early we should arrive. I know they suggest 2 hours, but is that really necessary at HHH? I am thinking of taking the 6:30am shuttle from our hotel for a 7:50am flight. We will check in online and print our boarding passes from home, and we will not be checking any bags.
I have been in & out of this airport so I know my way around, and know that there is not much there to do or walk around and look at after going through security, so we will most likely have eaten and be prepared with books/magazines prior to arrival at the airport.
Also does anyone know if they have the new body scanner? I flew into here a few weeks ago (after driving to Texas and flying home) but I forgot to look! I did go through the new body scanner in Harlingen on the way home and even with that I was through security in less than 20 minutes - Harlingen is about the same size, maybe a little smaller.
TIA!!!
Re: HHH/Terminal 2 @ MSP Airport
As long as it's after the holidays that would probably be okay. That'll put you there about an hour before your flight, right? As long as it's domestic, you're fine.
They do have the new body scanner. We were not asked to go through it on our last flight, but my friend was when we flew in October. Since we weren't asked to go through it, I don't know how/where they're doing the pat-downs (since we would have opted out of the scanner).
We are staying near the airport - within 10 miles. Right now our reservations is at the Park Plaza, might switch to LaQuinta Inn, but the shuttle usual goes to both terminals and may or may not stop at HHH first, so yes, about an hour prior. It is domestic - back to Harlingen, Tx to visit my parents. This time with DH. First time I drove them down and flew home.
In Harlingen everyone before me went through the body scanner, so I did not see anyone that did not. The lady directing the travelers was very informative that both options were available, you just had to request the pat down when you got up to her if you wanted that. But everyone there had to do one or the other. They only had the one security line open, had the second one been open that did not have the body scanner I don't know if they would have patted down everyone on that side?
So at HHH not everyone has to do one or the other? Is it only selected people?
We flew in Oct out of HHH and they didn't have the body scanners, but this was "pre body scanner". We got there 2 hours early per out international flight requirements and they asked us what flight we are on only to assume we were on the hour earlier flight. That would have put us there only 45 minutes early. We were flying out at 7:30/7:50 (I can't remember) and we were there with so much time to spare, the morning seemed pretty dead. This was on a Saturday morning.
I would think you would be fine with that amount of time if you are flying domestic.
Nicole and Sam 10/3/09
It was definitely not everyone. Most people just went through the metal detector, and they randomly waved people to the body scanners. In Cleveland, where we were asked to go through the scanners, it seemed like they let x number of people through just metals, then x number had to go through the scanners, then back to metal, etc. It wasn't very busy, so the patdowns were done right on the other side of the body scanner, so like where you'd end up if you walked through it.
Usually mornings can be busy.
Travel Tip: If all of Sun Country's passenger's are there they will depart early. One flight of ours departed 90 minutes early and another flight we took with them departed 45 minutes early. Bonus! Obviously they won't do this unless all passengers are there and ready to board.