Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, in Minneapolis, United States.

What is the difference between MSP and KMSP?

MSP is the IATA code, used commercially — tickets, timetables, luggage tags. KMSP is the ICAO code, used operationally by pilots and air traffic control, and assigned geographically by region.

What airport is MSP?

MSP is

Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport

Minneapolis, United States

Why the code is MSP

Minneapolis Saint Paul, the two cities it sits between.

The airport authority or a contemporaneous record states this directly.

The airport

IATA code: MSP
ICAO code: KMSP
Airport: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
City: Minneapolis, United States
Code origin: Documented

The airport is roughly equidistant from both downtowns, which is the whole reason for the name and the code. It is one of the few major US airports with a light-rail line running directly between its two terminals and into both city centres.

The other code, KMSP

Every airport has two codes. The three-letter IATA code, MSP, is the one on your boarding pass and your luggage tag, and it is assigned for commercial use. The four-letter ICAO code, KMSP, is the one pilots and controllers use, and it is assigned geographically: the first letter or two identify the region, so every airport in the same part of the world shares a prefix. That is why KMSP looks nothing like MSP.

Common questions

What airport is MSP?: Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, in Minneapolis, United States.
Why is Minneapolis's airport called MSP?: Minneapolis Saint Paul, the two cities it sits between.
What is the difference between MSP and KMSP?: MSP is the IATA code, used commercially — tickets, timetables, luggage tags. KMSP is the ICAO code, used operationally by pilots and air traffic control, and assigned geographically by region.

United States Capital, area, population and currency
The flag of United States Colours, symbols and lookalikes
Airport codes in United States 32 here
What airport is JFK? John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York
What airport is LAX? Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles
What airport is ORD? O'Hare International Airport, Chicago
What airport is ATL? Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta
What airport is MCO? Orlando International Airport, Orlando
What airport is DFW? Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas
What airport is EWR? Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark
What airport is SFO? San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco

Sources

OurAirports — OurAirports (Public domain)

How these figures are compiled and checked