Minneapolis to Anchorage: Airlines, Airport Terminals and ID for the Flight

Somewhere in the middle of planning an Alaska trip, the map gets spread out and the question comes up: how do we actually get from Minnesota to the far end of the continent? The answer is shorter than it looks. Minneapolis is among the cities with nonstop flights to Anchorage in summer, and the airport you land at sits close to the city center.

Which airlines fly from Minneapolis to Anchorage?

Alaska Airlines and Sun Country Airlines are the two carriers worth looking at first, since both serve the Anchorage airport’s South Terminal alongside several other airlines. Anchorage’s airport lists nonstop flights from Minneapolis among its summer connections, together with cities such as Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Seattle/Tacoma and Salt Lake City. Which airline operates the Minneapolis flight on your dates is something the booking site will show you, so treat the airline names here as the ones that use the terminal.

The airport receives more than 240 flights a day, which gives you a sense of how central it is to getting around Alaska. Many of those flights connect onward to small towns and lodges that have no road access at all, so a flight into Anchorage is often the first leg of a longer trip rather than the whole journey.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, and its primary hub is Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. It also keeps a hub in Anchorage, along with Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego and San Francisco. That matters if your plans include other Alaska towns, because a connection through Anchorage is part of how the airline is built.

The airline has deep roots in the state. It began as McGee Airways, whose first service ran between Anchorage and Bristol Bay, and in the 1940s its headquarters were in Anchorage. It is a member of Oneworld, and its frequent-flyer program is called Atmos Rewards, which is useful to know if you collect miles on partner airlines.

Other airlines at the South Terminal

The South Terminal, the domestic one, serves Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Condor (departures), Delta Air Lines, Discover Airlines (departures), Sun Country Airlines and United Airlines. Sun Country is the name many Minnesotans know best, and Delta is a familiar presence in Minneapolis too.

If you are comparing options, look at the whole itinerary rather than only the departure from Minneapolis. A flight that connects through a hub can open up different arrival times, while a nonstop keeps the day simple and puts you in Anchorage with the long summer evening still ahead.

Where do you land?

You land at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, which the airport lists at 5000 W. International Airport Rd. in Anchorage. It sits 5 miles southwest of downtown, so you are in the city soon after you collect your bags.

The two terminals

The airport has two terminals and 32 gates in all. The South Terminal handles domestic flights and has 24 gates, which is where a flight from Minneapolis will arrive. The North Terminal, with 8 gates, serves Condor arrivals, international seasonal charter flights and military flights.

For most travelers coming from the Twin Cities, the South Terminal is the only one you will see. It is worth glancing at your boarding pass when you pick up a rental or meet someone, since a friend arriving on a seasonal charter would be at the other building.

From the airport to downtown

Anchorage People Mover bus Route 40 serves both the North and South terminals and connects to the downtown Transit Center. It runs every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes in the evenings and on weekends.

If your plans start with the Alaska Railroad, the depot is at 411 West 1st Ave in downtown Anchorage, and you can reach it by phone at +1 907 265-2494. Many Alaska vacation packages combine motorcoach and train excursions with overnight stays and activities, so your first night in town may be part of a larger itinerary already laid out for you.

Floatplanes next door

Right beside the airport is Lake Hood Seaplane Base, the busiest seaplane base in the world. You will not use it to arrive from Minneapolis, but it is a sign of how air travel works here: the same area that receives jets also sends small planes toward places the road system does not reach.

Cargo is a big part of the airport too. It is a hub for Atlas Air, FedEx Express, Polar Air Cargo and UPS Airlines, and FedEx alone can handle as many as 13,400 packages per hour. The planes you see parked on the field are not all carrying passengers.

What do you need for the trip?

You need acceptable photo identification to pass the security checkpoint, and that means a REAL ID-compliant license or a passport for anyone 18 or older. Minneapolis to Anchorage is a domestic flight, so no other travel document is part of the picture.

ID at the checkpoint

REAL ID enforcement began May 7, 2025, and U.S. travelers must be compliant to board domestic flights. A driver’s license or ID with a star, a flag or the word Enhanced shows that it is REAL ID ready. A passport is an acceptable alternative, so if your license lacks the marking, you can fly with your passport instead.

Adults 18 and older must show valid identification at the checkpoint. A temporary driver’s license is not acceptable, and TSA currently accepts an expired ID up to two years after its expiration date. The list of acceptable IDs is subject to change without notice, so it is wise to look at it again before you leave home.

If your ID is not acceptable

Travelers without an acceptable form of ID must pay a fee under the TSA ConfirmID program, shown in the table. If your identity cannot be verified, you will not be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, which is a poor way to start a vacation.

Children and families

TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling within the United States. Unaccompanied minors who are eligible for TSA PreCheck must show an acceptable ID to receive expedited screening. Name suffixes such as Jr. or III may vary between your boarding pass and your ID, and TSA accepts that variation.

Good to know before you go

The best time to visit Anchorage runs from May to early September, when daylight reaches up to 19½ hours and the sun sets just before midnight. Summer highs average around 68°F with lows near 55°F, so a layer for the evening is useful even on a bright day.

Most people plan at least three days in Anchorage, and the free Official Anchorage Visitor Guide includes a directory of local businesses in Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska. You can also sign up for the Anchorage e-newsletter for trip ideas and planning tools, or look into flightseeing tours, day cruises and stays at remote lodges.