Amanda
Google
All the lounges at MSP are located in Terminal 1, which can be a bit of a hassle to reach depending on where you’re coming from. The train system at the airport is a little confusing — there’s a strange in-between metal platform that claims it’s Terminal 1, but it’s not the actual terminal where you check in. Just stay in that small hallway and wait for the next train, which will take you to the real Terminal 1. Once there, check in and, if you’re using PreCheck, you’ll basically walk right into the airport and the Escape Lounge is directly in front of you — very convenient.
We visited the lounge between 11 AM and 1 PM, and it wasn’t nearly as crowded as I expected for that time of day. The food selection was surprisingly good. I put together a nice little charcuterie plate with meats, cheeses, and crackers. My boyfriend really enjoyed the Italian sandwiches. We also tried the broccoli cheddar soup, which was a miss, and the Brussels sprouts — not bad once you added some seasoning.
One of the coffee machines was acting up and producing a strange foam, but luckily the other one worked fine. The coffee itself was standard lounge quality. For dessert, they had cookies and doughnuts — the doughnuts were on the denser side, but still decent.
The staff was friendly, attentive, and quick to clean and restock items. One thing to note: it seems like a lot of credit cards now grant access to Priority Pass lounges, so I wouldn’t be surprised if these lounges get more crowded over time. But overall, this was a pleasant and convenient spot to relax before our flight.