ON TIMEBOARD

Connecting at MSP

How often flights into Minneapolis, MN land too late to make the next one. 129,962 arrivals over the past 12 months.

45-min layover
18%
missed
60-min layover
13%
missed
90-min layover
7%
missed
Safer layover
75m
under 10% risk
Inbound cancelled
1.6%
or diverted; shown separately
Worst month
Jul
18% miss at 60 min

Is 45 minutes enough at MSP? 18% of inbound flights landed too late for it, allowing 30 minutes to reach the next gate. Book 75 minutes to keep the risk under 1 in 10, or 100 in July.

Separately, 1.6% of flights into MSP were cancelled or diverted (2.5% in July). That isn't a missed connection in the same sense: on one booking the airline rebooks you, though it can still cost you the day.

Check your exact itinerary through MSP →

Missed-connection risk by layover and month

Share of flights that landed at MSP too late for the connection (cancellations not included), pooled over 2023–2026. Read across your travel month.

LayoverJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
40 min23%19%21%20%22%29%30%25%17%14%16%25%23%
50 min17%13%15%13%15%21%22%18%11%9%11%18%16%
60 min13%10%11%10%12%16%18%14%8%6%8%14%13%
75 min10%7%9%7%9%12%13%10%5%5%6%10%9%
90 min8%6%7%5%7%9%10%7%4%3%4%8%7%
120 min5%4%4%3%5%6%7%5%3%2%3%5%5%

Counts flights that landed; cancelled and diverted inbound flights are reported separately above. Assumes 30 minutes to get off the plane and reach the next gate, and that the onward flight leaves on time. A terminal change or re-checking bags needs more.

Late in the day is riskier

Share of flights that would miss a 60-minute connection, by scheduled arrival time at MSP (past 12 months). Delays pile up through the day.

50%75%100%Arriving 12 a.m.: 18% miss a 60-min connection: 82% on time (1,123 flights)8212aArriving 5 a.m.: 7% miss a 60-min connection: 93% on time (1,641 flights)935aArriving 6 a.m.: 9% miss a 60-min connection: 91% on time (3,139 flights)916aArriving 7 a.m.: 8% miss a 60-min connection: 92% on time (8,664 flights)927aArriving 8 a.m.: 8% miss a 60-min connection: 92% on time (7,878 flights)928aArriving 9 a.m.: 7% miss a 60-min connection: 93% on time (9,203 flights)939aArriving 10 a.m.: 9% miss a 60-min connection: 91% on time (5,431 flights)9110aArriving 11 a.m.: 6% miss a 60-min connection: 94% on time (6,145 flights)9411aArriving noon: 10% miss a 60-min connection: 90% on time (9,030 flights)9012pArriving 1 p.m.: 12% miss a 60-min connection: 88% on time (11,262 flights)881pArriving 2 p.m.: 11% miss a 60-min connection: 89% on time (7,880 flights)892pArriving 3 p.m.: 12% miss a 60-min connection: 88% on time (3,604 flights)883pArriving 4 p.m.: 14% miss a 60-min connection: 86% on time (5,298 flights)864pArriving 5 p.m.: 16% miss a 60-min connection: 84% on time (16,617 flights)845pArriving 6 p.m.: 15% miss a 60-min connection: 85% on time (4,623 flights)856pArriving 7 p.m.: 15% miss a 60-min connection: 85% on time (8,288 flights)857pArriving 8 p.m.: 17% miss a 60-min connection: 83% on time (8,259 flights)838pArriving 9 p.m.: 21% miss a 60-min connection: 79% on time (5,575 flights)799pArriving 10 p.m.: 21% miss a 60-min connection: 79% on time (2,631 flights)7910pArriving 11 p.m.: 20% miss a 60-min connection: 80% on time (3,656 flights)8011p
Bar = share that MAKE a 60-minute connection (taller is better). Hover for the miss rate.

Riskiest flights in

FromFlightsMiss 60 min
ORD Chicago6,42021%
MIA Miami1,13919%
DFW Dallas3,31117%
DCA Washington2,65317%
JFK New York1,09616%
MCO Orlando1,94315%
PHL Philadelphia2,08615%
EWR Newark2,26815%
MDW Chicago2,62615%
LGA New York1,97114%
GRR Grand Rapids1,37114%
AUS Austin1,68514%

Safest flights in

FromFlightsMiss 60 min
PDX Portland1,6105%
SAN San Diego1,3006%
SLC Salt Lake City1,6097%
SEA Seattle2,6767%
LAX Los Angeles2,1098%
LAS Las Vegas2,0919%
GFK Grand Forks1,1889%
IAD Washington1,30110%
BNA Nashville1,78610%
IND Indianapolis1,36310%
PHX Phoenix2,97410%
TPA Tampa1,16811%

Last flights of the day from MSP

If your inbound runs late and you miss one of these, the next flight is usually the next morning. Typical last scheduled departure over the past three months:

ToLast departureFlights / day
MDW Chicago6:40 p.m.7.6
IAH Houston6:40 p.m.6.5
PHX Phoenix6:48 p.m.6.8
LAS Las Vegas6:59 p.m.4.7
MCO Orlando7:45 p.m.4.7
AUS Austin7:45 p.m.4.8
DTW Detroit7:46 p.m.5.5
ATL Atlanta7:49 p.m.9.7
DFW Dallas7:50 p.m.9.5
LGA New York7:59 p.m.4.8
MKE Milwaukee8:05 p.m.5.8
BOS Boston8:09 p.m.5.7
ORD Chicago8:10 p.m.17.8
CLT Charlotte8:14 p.m.7.1
EWR Newark8:15 p.m.6.2
BNA Nashville8:20 p.m.5.7
SLC Salt Lake City8:20 p.m.4.8
DCA Washington8:25 p.m.7.1
PHL Philadelphia8:25 p.m.6.3
PDX Portland9:37 p.m.5.6
SFO San Francisco9:40 p.m.6.1
BIS Bismarck9:40 p.m.4.8
OMA Omaha9:40 p.m.4.8
MCI Kansas City9:49 p.m.4.8
STL St. Louis9:50 p.m.6.8
LAX Los Angeles9:59 p.m.6.3
SEA Seattle10:04 p.m.9
FSD Sioux Falls10:05 p.m.4.8
DEN Denver10:15 p.m.17.6
FAR Fargo10:46 p.m.5.9

Questions

Is 45 minutes enough for a connection at MSP?

Often, not always. Over the past year 18% of flights into Minneapolis landed too late to leave 30 minutes to reach the next gate on a 45-minute layover. With 60 minutes it was 13%; with 90, 7%. Separately, 1.6% of inbound flights were cancelled or diverted; on one booking the airline rebooks you.

How long a layover do I need at MSP?

To keep the risk of a late inbound below 1 in 10, about 75 minutes on an average month and 100 minutes in July, the worst month. Add time if you change terminals or need to re-check bags.

An estimate from past arrival delays, not a guarantee. On one ticket, the airline will rebook you if you misconnect. On separate tickets you're on your own, so leave far more time. Method.