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Minnesota’s largest airport has many great viewing possibilities. The parking garages are in the middle with runways on either side, and you can get a great view from the 7th floor. Its easy to watch and photograph planes from both sides with good light. There is an official Observation Lot located on Post Road right beside runway 12R/30L. This runway is used most by the heavy jets, because they park at gates along that side of the terminal. The only negative thing about this spot is the fence, making photos of planes on the ground nearly impossible.
Then there’s the Fort Snelling National Cemetery, which is on a hill directly above the Observation Area. This hill is accessible only from inside the cemetery and all the way at the back but gives a spectacular view. You would have to enter the grounds from 34th Ave. S. Taft Park, located just off Cedar Ave., is another spot. This park is under the approach path to 12R and you can get a good close up view of landing traffic.
On the north side of the field there is a dog walking park located at the end of 28th Ave. S., accessible from Hwy. 62. This spot gives a great view of planes using runway 12R/30L but you are facing southwest so the best light for photography is limited to the morning.
After the airport opened its new west runway a few years ago the 7 floor parking garage at the Mall of America became a superb spot to watch and photograph planes in the afternoon. Those approaching runway 35 will be flying right past this garage and from the top level you’ll have a good angle. You can park here and for a small fee take the light rail from the ground floor of this parking garage to both of MSP’s terminals. I also discovered on my last visit there that at the light rail stop between the Mall and the Airport there is a parking garage which, from the top floor, will give you another view of the runway 35 traffic but from the opposite direction (facing west).
There is also a new parking garage adjacent to the Humphrey Terminal (just west of the cemetery in the map above) but runway 4/22 is not used too often and there is more action at the main terminal. It is possible, however, to park at the Lindberg Terminal and take the underground light rail for free over to the Humphrey Terminal to check out the action.
Most of the traffic here will be Delta and its regional affiliates along with Southwest and others. The Minnesota Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve have a base on this field so on any given day there may be military aircraft landing and departing. There is lots to do in the Minneapolis area too – the largest mall in America (Mall of the America) is less than a mile away.
The MSP airport is definitely a great place for plane lovers and I highly recommend a visit here. There are so many good spots to catch aircraft action that you could spend an entire day – or more!
Click for photos from the observation lot
Click for photos from the parking garage
Click for photos from the dog park
Click for photos from the Fort Snelling Hill
Click for photos from the Mall of America parking garage