New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Minneapolis (MSP)

Distance, flight time and the air traffic controllers who guide you.

Quick answer

New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Minneapolis (MSP) is 1,018 miles in a straight line, about 2h 32m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 8 air traffic control facilities along the way.

1,018miles
884nautical miles
1,638kilometers
~2h 32mestimated flight time
−1 htime change on arrival
Northwestinitial heading

Who handles your flight

Every airliner is passed from one air traffic control facility to the next. On the most direct path, these are the teams that guide you, in order. Weather and traffic can send a flight through other centers, so your actual flight may differ a little.

  1. LGATowerLaGuardia Tower (LGA)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. N90TRACONNew York TRACON (N90)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZNYCenterNew York ARTCC (ZNY)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZOBCenterCleveland ARTCC (ZOB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  6. ZMPCenterMinneapolis ARTCC (ZMP)Starts your descentThank them →
  7. M98TRACONMinneapolis TRACON (M98)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  8. MSPTowerMinneapolis-St. Paul Tower (MSP)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Minneapolis (MSP) to New York LaGuardia (LGA)

MSP → M98 → ZMP → ZAU → ZOB → ZNY → N90 → LGA

About the airports

LaGuardia Airport

New York, NY

Codes: LGA · KLGA

Time zone: Eastern

Control tower: LaGuardia Tower (LGA)

Thank the tower →

Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field

Minneapolis, MN

Codes: MSP · KMSP

Time zone: Central

Control tower: Minneapolis-St. Paul Tower (MSP)

Thank the tower →

More routes

All flight routes →

How we figure this out

Distance is the great-circle distance between the two airports, the shortest path over the curved Earth. Flight time assumes an average airliner speed of about 500 mph plus about 30 minutes for taxi, takeoff and landing. The list of facilities follows the same path, using each airport's tower and approach control and the FAA's en route center boundaries.

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Common questions

How long is the flight from New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Minneapolis (MSP)?

About 2h 32m gate to gate for the 1,018-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.

How far is New York LaGuardia (LGA) from Minneapolis (MSP)?

1,018 miles (884 nautical miles, 1,638 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Minneapolis (MSP)?

Usually 8 facilities: LaGuardia Tower (LGA), New York TRACON (N90), New York ARTCC (ZNY), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Minneapolis ARTCC (ZMP), Minneapolis TRACON (M98) and Minneapolis-St. Paul Tower (MSP). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.

Is there a time change between New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Minneapolis (MSP)?

Yes. Minneapolis (MSP) is 1 hour behind New York LaGuardia (LGA).

Updated October 2026

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