NEW: First-Ever Sensory Rooms are Coming to MSP

Traveling is stressful. Even the best airport in the United States - our very own Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) - can be a source of major stress if you don't travel often.

Even though MSP has already taken several steps to make your airport experience better (more on that below), they're going a step further: sensory rooms in each terminal.

MSP To Build First-Ever Sensory Rooms in Both Terminals

First off: what is a sensory room? From Wikipedia: "A sensory room is a special room designed to develop a person's sense, usually through special lighting, music, and objects."

For some, the airport bar (dim lighting, blasting music, and objects filled with booze) are sufficient to help them chill before/in-between flights. Others (especially - but not exclusively - with children) need a much different environment to chill out and decompress.

The rooms are being designed by Minneapolis nonprofit Fraser along with the Metropolitan Airports Commission. The rooms will have dimmable lighting, sensory-friendly furnishings, and different seating types. The rooms - one in both MSP terminals - are expected to be finished in 2027 and 2028.

Other Ways MSP Helps Wary Travelers

In 2022, MSP installed a "mock aircraft cabin" or "cabin simulator" to help travelers gain some confidence.

Since 2013, MSP has hosted "Navigating MSP" - a program that lets new travelers take a practice run going through the airport experience, including:

• TSA security screening
• exploring the terminal
• boarding the plane
• meeting the pilot (does that actually happen IRL?)
• preparing for takeoff (and hopefully keeping that famous Crocodile Dundee scene internal)

We're spoiled. MSP has been declared as the best "mega" airport in the United States. Feel lucky that we don't have Detroit's airport.

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H/T: MPR News / Wikipedia