MSP Airport plans a $242 million renovation of Terminal 1, the largest renovation since 1962.

A planned $242 million overhaul of the main plazas and gate areas of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is being hailed as the largest interior renovation since the terminal opened in 1962.

The renovation of six of the seven concourses in Terminal 1 is scheduled to be completed by late 2025, meaning MSP’s frequent flyers will continue to endure what seems like never-ending construction at the nation’s 19th busiest airport.

But it’s all for a good cause, officials from the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and Delta Air Lines said at a news conference Thursday.

“This is about creating an exceptional airport experience for the millions of passengers who travel through MSP to visit, vacation and do business here so our economy can thrive,” said CEO Brian Rix of MAC, which owns and operates the airport.

The mere location of the event, in Concourse F, seemed to highlight the need for modernization: Passengers en route to various cities in Florida were crammed into poorly lit gate areas, and the shade of the concourse carpets could be described as dingy. Beige color.

The plan calls for a unified, modernized design for the concourses and approximately 75 Delta gates that go along with improvements largely completed in the terminal’s ticketing and baggage claim areas, as well as Concourse G.

This will translate to terrazzo flooring in the passenger aisles in aisles A, C, D and G, with new carpeting in aisles B and F. New wall finishes are planned, including granite in the public hallways and tile in the Delta Gateway areas, as well as brighter finishes. LED lighting, technology upgrades to the flight and gate information displays, and gate seats with more power outlets.

“These renovations will impact everything Delta passengers will see and experience from security checkpoints to their gates,” Rex said.

MAC is investing $182.5 million of its own money in the overall project, with Delta, the dominant MSP carrier, contributing $60 million; No taxpayer money will be used. The planned expansion of Terminal 2, home to Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines, was not part of Thursday’s announcement.

Early reviews of the project were positive.

“MSP is one of the most efficient airports in the country, but some of its concourses could certainly use a little love to keep up with the times,” said Kyle Potter, executive editor of The Thrifty Traveler. website.

MAC and Delta officials said Thursday they remain optimistic about travel demand after the pandemic.

“The great news is that travel demand remains very strong, especially as we prepare for the busy holiday season here,” said Jeanine Ashworth, Delta’s vice president of airport operations at MSP.

The Atlanta-based airline continues to add flights from Minnesota, including Dublin, Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean, Syracuse, New York, and Cozumel, Mexico, in the next year.

“With these new destinations and increased service, we will have 40% more seats out of Minneapolis in the coming years,” Ashworth said. “That’s why it’s so important that we have this concourse and gate modernization project. It’s the latest example of Delta’s ongoing work to modernize the terminal and elevate the travel experience for our customers in Minneapolis.”

Officials said there will be little disruption to flying activity during the renovations, as much of the work will be done during the overnight hours. Delta gates will remain open during construction.

The renovation process will be analyzed in three phases that will be managed by Delta officials. Work on Corridors D and F began in October, and renovations to Corridor C begin in February. Improvements to concourses A, B and G and the skybridge connecting concourses C and G are scheduled for 2025.

The interior renovation will span 378,000 square feet and will include several design changes made by MAC as it expands the ticket lobby and baggage claim areas, as well as modernizing Concourse G between gates G17 and G22.

“Like many airports across the country that accelerated major infrastructure improvements when travel was practically non-existent during the worst of the pandemic, MSP has rightfully focused on significant expansion of the G Concourse,” Potter said.

An $80 million G Concourse expansion in 2022 also created space for MSP’s third Delta Sky Club.

“This area has completely new concessions, more natural light, higher ceilings and new seating. If this is the model for this project, travelers will be in for a treat no matter what gate they are at,” Potter said.

With Thursday’s announcement, MAC will have invested more than $1 billion in curb-to-gate upgrades since 2016.

This includes a $525 million, 30,000-square-foot station expansion project; Redesigned ticket and baggage levels, including new baggage carousels; Standardization of checkpoints, improvement of central elevators and escalators. The program is in its final phase, with work continuing on new ticket counters and baggage systems at the north end of the station.

Work will continue next year on G Concourse, which includes a $330 million renovation that will double the seating capacity of gates G8 to G13, two new sets of restrooms, and additional concession space.

MAC is also investing $6.5 million to reconfigure the gate and ramp space in Concourses B and C to serve Delta’s larger aircraft.