Msp a320
 

Hello all,

I was awarded MSP 320 in the latest class bid awards. I would really appreciate to hear from anyone on the ins-and-outs of MSP 320 life. Pros/cons, anything nice to know. Thank you in advance!

Probably one of the most senior categories in the company, do you live in MSP? If not you'll probably find yourself switching to a different base for better seniority. Lots of very senior FO's seem to hangout on it until they can hold MSP320A with ~50% or higher seniority.

Mostly a "locals" base, but there are still a fair number of commuters.

If you commute, know that the airport can get balled up, and holding on blue sky days wasn't uncommon before COVID. X10 in winter when they're plowing. That said, not a bad place to commute to if you live in the central time zone. As you get farther south, the long block time and the time zone change becomes a PITA. Commuting from the SE can be a challenge, but you see lots doing it from DFW, OMA, MCI and DEN, plus various places in SD/ND/WI.

If you are going to live in MSP, good people, but know that it is a really, really expensive town. Rents are very high compared to other places, and housing prices were nuts before the recent run-up everywhere else. Between Feds and State, you're looking at close to 50% tax. They are very, very aggressive about collecting taxes, so if you have a plan, make sure it's air tight.

Lots of folks live just over the border in Hudson, Wisconsin.

Traffic to the airport can be bad around rush hour, but otherwise generally not an issue. Depends on which direction you're coming from. When I lived there, 494 came to a dead halt around 4:30p to 6p, so you had to plan around that.

Thank you for the response! Don't live in MSP; actually trying to figure out if moving with the fam is in our plan or not. I managed to get onto Deltanet and MSP is definitely more senior than other bases. Thank you again.

Thank you for the detailed info! Potentially considering a commute from SOCAL (SD or LAX) for family reasons. Otherwise, maybe a move closer to MSP. I had no idea about the tax situation, and I really appreciate the tip to move across the border!

I’m not DL but can comment on a few things you brought up.

Traffic—I have spent a lot of time in SoCal so it wouldn’t occur to me to mention traffic in MSP. Ever since March 2020 there hasn’t been much except for at the rush hours, and even at the rush hours, it’s not as bad as it was pre Covid. Unless you want to work in the CPO and drive to work every day 8-5 I wouldn’t worry too much about traffic.

Real Estate—I can only comment on purchasing homes in the suburbs, but there are some great communities within 30 or so (non-rush hour) minutes of the airport. It’s more expensive than it was pre-Covid, but in upper-middle class MSP suburbs you’re paying around half of what you would for equivalent properties in places like DEN or SLC.

commute— you mentioned commuting SoCal-MSP. I have done the SoCal-MSP commute and it was easy, just long. If you’re commuting SoCal-MSP why not just be based in LAX? (Maybe a short term thing I guess)

Taxes—state income taxes are high but in a lot of the suburbs, property taxes are close to 1%. I have friends in Texas who would very much like 1% property taxes. And in the years we’ve been in the MSP area the state does a good job keeping up with the roads in the winter (looking at you, Illinois)

Additionally, neither MN or WI tax military retirement income (may be relevant based on your screen name, edit: FlyMarines, that is)

Nice, thank you for the info and advice! Moving from SOCAL, I'm pretty jaded on real estate markets since it's no secret how pricey California is. It'll actually be a relief for us. I'm going to bid for LAX as soon as able, but in the meantime planning for the worst possible scenario, which for now is commuting. Thank you again!

If you're considering living in SOCAL and commuting, I would recommend trying to get in touch with some LAX 320 pilots to gather some information as well. You could likely hold the base in the next AE and may never even see MSP. I can't speak to the schedules out of LAX, but your seniority progression will be significantly faster than MSP.

MSP is a great place to live. Snowy winters but find an activity like fat tire biking or XC skiing and all of a sudden the 20 degree days are paradise. All parts of the cities have pluses and minuses. Both downtowns offer outstanding restaurants, culture, and night life. The inner ring suburbs like Edina and Golden Valley are quiet and high end. Looking for more space? Even 20 minutes from the airport in most directions will afford you a standard suburban home for a good value.

The cons? The 320 flying isn’t sexy. With the exception of the top few FOs, everyone is flying the same trips. You don’t get to 50% and suddenly hold Caribbean or Alaska. The mountain flying pre-COVID is still there, but the 30 hours in MSO aren’t as prevalent. If you just want to earn a paycheck and go home, it’s fine. If you want a little more of a thrill, there are better bases and seats.

It’s a great city and nice people. Depends what you’re looking to get out of it flying wise. Pack a jacket for the winter, buy a paddle board for the summer and it’s good living