An MSP car service on Elly8.net is a flat rate set before you fly: a business sedan from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) to downtown Minneapolis is US$150, a business SUV US$195 and an Executive Sprinter US$390, all-in per vehicle. Your flight is tracked, the chauffeur waits inside the terminal with a name board, and complimentary waiting starts after a tracked landing.
That covers the short answer. The longer one matters at MSP because the airport has two separate terminals with their own roads, ramps and pickup areas, and a winter arrival is a different experience from a summer one. This guide walks through the pickup at each terminal, how waiting works, which vehicle fits your luggage, and when the light rail or a taxi is honestly the better choice. Rides in Minneapolis are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk.
How much is a car service from MSP to downtown Minneapolis?
A pre-booked car from MSP to downtown Minneapolis costs from US$150 in a business sedan to US$390 in an Executive Sprinter on Elly8.net, fixed and all-in per vehicle. The drive is about 12 mi (20 km), roughly 22 minutes on a clear road, and the same fixed fare applies from downtown back to the airport.
The full list is US$150 in a business sedan, US$195 in a business SUV, US$240 in a First Class SUV, US$265 in a First Class sedan and US$390 in an Executive Sprinter. A round trip, booked together, runs from US$285 in a sedan to US$745 in a Sprinter. Prices include the chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and airport meet and greet; tolls, parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost.
For downtown St. Paul, Bloomington, Edina or the western suburbs, the web booker gives a fixed price for that address. Every Minneapolis fare is on the Minneapolis car service page.
See Minneapolis prices and reserve
First, which terminal?
MSP has two passenger terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with separate addresses and separate approaches: Terminal 1 at 4300 Glumack Drive and Terminal 2 at 7150 Humphrey Drive, according to the airport. Your airline decides which you use. When you book, give us the airline and the flight number and the desk confirms the terminal, so the chauffeur is never waiting at the wrong building.
If you are connecting between terminals yourself, the METRO Blue Line runs between them free of charge, around the clock (mspairport.com).
How the pickup works, step by step
1. Flight tracking. From the moment you book, the flight number is tracked. An early landing, a ground delay or a rebooked connection moves the chauffeur's timing automatically.
2. Landing and the walk. Complimentary waiting starts after a tracked landing. That covers the normal time from gate to baggage claim and the wait at the carousel. If you are arriving on an international flight, you clear customs first; message the desk if the hall is slow and the chauffeur stays in place.
3. The meeting point. Your chauffeur meets you inside arrivals with a name board, then helps with your bags and walks you to the car. That is the key difference from an app ride. At Terminal 1, Uber and Lyft pick up at the Ground Transportation Center on Level 1 of the Green/Gold parking ramps; at Terminal 2, on the second level of the Purple ramp (mspairport.com). In January, waiting indoors for a person rather than in a ramp for a car is not a small thing.
4. The drive. Most runs to downtown use Highway 62 and I-35W, or Hiawatha Avenue, depending on traffic. The chauffeur picks the route; the fare does not change.
5. The drop-off. Downtown hotels connected by the skyway often have more than one street entrance. Tell the desk which door you want, and the chauffeur will use it.
Our airport meet and greet page describes the arrivals routine across every city we serve.
Wait times: what the policy covers
Two kinds of waiting matter at an airport, and they are handled differently.
Waiting for you. Complimentary waiting after a tracked landing covers a normal arrival: deplaning, the walk, the carousel. Waiting beyond the included time, for example if you stop for a long meal before meeting the chauffeur, is billed at cost. If something unusual happens, such as a lost bag claim, message the desk.
Waiting for a ride. This is where the options differ most. A pre-booked chauffeur is already there. Taxis at MSP are staffed by airport personnel from 6 am to 1 am daily and remain available on a self-service basis outside those hours (mspairport.com). App rides depend on driver availability at the moment you request. The Blue Line runs every 15 to 20 minutes from roughly 5 am to midnight.
Which vehicle fits your bags
Choose by luggage as well as people. These are the capacities on our fleet page.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Bags | MSP to downtown | Good fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | up to 3 | 2 | US$150 | Solo or pair, carry-ons and a case each |
| First Class Sedan | up to 3 | 2 | US$265 | Executives, a client pickup |
| Business SUV / Van | up to 6 | 6 | US$195 | Families, ski bags, car seats |
| First Class SUV | up to 6 | 6 | US$240 | Small teams, VIP arrivals with luggage |
| Executive Sprinter | up to 12 | 12 | US$390 | Groups, sports teams, wedding parties |
Winter travellers carry more: boots, parkas, ski or hockey bags. If two people each have a large case and a ski bag, book the SUV. Child seats are available on request and fitted before pickup.
Flat rate vs the meter vs the train
MSP is unusually transparent about its alternatives, which makes the comparison easy to be fair about.
| Option | Price to downtown Minneapolis | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| METRO Blue Line | US$2 adult fare, 2.5 hours | about 25 min on the train | Solo traveller, light bag, 5 am to midnight |
| Taxi | averages US$39-49, metered | about 22 min clear road | One or two people, short notice |
| Rideshare app | set by the app, surge applies | about 22 min clear road | Off-peak, flexible plans |
| Elly8.net business sedan | US$150 fixed, all-in | about 22 min clear road | Late flights, meetings, winter arrivals |
| Elly8.net Executive Sprinter | US$390 per vehicle | about 22 min clear road | Groups of up to 12 with bags |
Sources: the airport's taxi page, which also gives US$31 to US$38 as the average to downtown St. Paul and a US$23.50 zone fare to Mall of America, and Metro Transit's fare table.
Be honest about it: for one traveller with a carry-on heading to a hotel near a Blue Line station, the train is excellent value, and a taxi is cheaper than a sedan for one or two people. The flat-rate chauffeur earns its fare when you land late or early, travel with family or a group, carry winter gear, need child seats, are going straight to a meeting, or want one price you can put on an expense report before the trip. For a wider look at the city's taxis and app rides, read our guide to Minneapolis taxi or rideshare.
Winter arrivals and event weekends
From December to March, the details change. Snow and deicing delay departures at the origin airport, so flight tracking does more of the work, and the drive downtown can take far longer than the clear-road 22 minutes after a storm. The fare stays fixed. Pack gloves and a hat in your carry-on rather than your checked bag, because the walk from the terminal door to the vehicle is short but cold, and tell the desk if anyone in the group needs extra help with footing or bags on ice.
Event weekends fill the airport in a different way. A Vikings home game at U.S. Bank Stadium, a large convention or the Minnesota State Fair in late summer brings many visitors in on the same flights, and app waits lengthen while they do. Meet Minneapolis lists the big dates. Booking the car a week ahead on those dates is the simplest way to avoid the queue at the ramps.
Departures: same fare, timed for traffic
Going to MSP, the fare is the same as the arrival fare: US$150 in a sedan from downtown Minneapolis. The chauffeur meets you at the hotel door or in the lobby, and the desk sets the pickup with a buffer for weekday rush on I-35W, a Vikings game at U.S. Bank Stadium or the first heavy snow of the season. Tell us your airline so you are dropped at the right terminal.
Common MSP trips beyond downtown
- Mall of America and Bloomington. Close to the airport; enter the hotel address for a fixed price.
- Downtown St. Paul. Its own downtown, about 12 mi (19 km) from downtown Minneapolis; priced in the booker.
- Convention arrivals. Groups heading to the Minneapolis Convention Center can run on Sprinters; see conference transportation.
- A day of meetings. An hourly chauffeur from US$95 an hour, 3-hour minimum, or a corporate account with monthly invoicing.
Travelling on from the Twin Cities? Elly8.net has fixed airport fares in Chicago, Milwaukee and Winnipeg too, all bookable on the same account. If you are planning a celebration rather than a transfer, the Minneapolis limo rental prices guide explains the hourly minimum and the packages.
How to book
- Enter MSP, your destination, the date and the flight number.
- Choose the vehicle by passengers and bags.
- Press Reserve now on a listed fare, or use the web booker for any other address. Confirmation arrives by email, with the chauffeur's details before pickup.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 72 hours or less costs 10%, 48 hours or less 50%, and 24 hours or less or a no-show 100%, refunded to the original card. More on our airport transfers page. Elly8.net is a member of the network behind LimousineWorldwide.Directory.
Frequently asked questions
Where does my chauffeur meet me at MSP?
Inside arrivals at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, with a name board, after you collect your bags. The chauffeur helps with luggage and walks you to the car, so you do not need to go to the rideshare areas in the parking ramps. Give us your airline and flight number so we meet you at the right terminal.
How long will the chauffeur wait if my flight is late?
Your flight is tracked, so the pickup follows the real landing, however late it is. Complimentary waiting starts after a tracked landing and covers the normal walk and baggage claim. Waiting beyond the included time is billed at cost; if something unusual delays you, message the 24/7 desk.
Is the MSP flat rate the same going to the airport?
Yes. Every MSP fare is the same fixed price in either direction, from US$150 in a business sedan to US$390 in an Executive Sprinter between the airport and downtown Minneapolis. The desk builds a traffic buffer into departure pickups, and the price does not change if the drive takes longer.
Is a taxi cheaper than a car service from MSP?
For one or two people, usually yes. The airport says taxi fares to downtown Minneapolis average US$39 to US$49, metered. A pre-booked sedan is US$150 fixed, with meet and greet inside and flight tracking. For a family, a group or a late winter arrival, the fixed car often makes more sense.
Can you pick up at both terminals for one group?
Yes. If your group arrives on different airlines at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, tell the desk. We can book separate cars, or have one Sprinter collect the first arrivals and then the second, with a small amount of waiting built into the plan and the price confirmed before you pay.
Do you provide child seats for MSP pickups?
Yes, on request. Add the number of seats and the children's ages when you book, and the partner chauffeur will have them fitted before pickup. A business SUV is the usual choice for families, with room for seats, a stroller and up to six bags.
