During the holiday season, a lot of Americans intend to travel.
Over the Thanksgiving travel week, from November 20 to November 27, about 25 million people are anticipated to board flights out of U.S. airports.
According to Hopper lead economist Hayley Berg, this is a 6% increase in capacity from 2019.
Similar to this, a lot of people are anticipated to travel over the December holidays.
If you're flying out for the holidays, it should come as no surprise that the roads, terminals, gates, amenities, and parking facilities in the airport vicinity will all be highly congested.
Additionally, airports throughout the nation are preparing for an increase in parking and issuing warnings that parking lots will be full over the holidays.
According to Jeff Lea, manager of strategic communications at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), "we anticipate the holidays will be busier than in 2021, just based on our current passenger activity throughout this year and the ongoing recovery of air travel from the pandemic." Jeff Lea also notes that "even before the holidays, we have experienced days of strong parking demand at all MSP parking ramps."
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which is in charge of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Dulles International Airport, said that crowds are expected to be the norm in the Washington, D.C., area from Veterans Day weekend through New Year's Day (IAD).
Travelers are advised to make plans ahead of time in order to have a smooth trip, including having parking options available.
For the upcoming fall and winter holidays, here's what you need to know if you're planning on driving to the airport.
Before leaving home, do some research
Before you leave your house, start your trip to the airport by checking the airport's website for the most recent parking information.
For instance, the Chicago Department of Aviation issued a warning this week to travelers about traffic congestion and delays at Lot D close to O'Hare Airport's (ORD) Terminal 5 while construction on a new, six-story parking garage next to the international terminal has just started.
The airport advises visitors to allow extra time for parking and think about other possibilities, such as parking further away in Economy Lot F at the airport's Multi-Modal Facility, which is reachable by the transit system.
Harold Mester, director of public affairs and marketing at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE), states that "with new service from JetBlue and Spirit, we are expecting a busy holiday travel season."
He advises visitors to download the MKE SmartPark app and make reservations for their holiday parking in advance.
"This ensures that parking will be available at any of our parking locations.
The program also enables users to scan in and out using their smartphones, collecting loyalty points that may later be exchanged for free parking."
The three airports in New York, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), all offer up-to-date parking availability on their websites, which can assist you in developing a parking strategy.
Arrive early
For holiday travelers at all U.S. airports, the MWAA recommends that leaving passengers plan to enter (not initially arrive at) the terminal two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight in order to make it to their aircraft on time.
It also cites the fact that delays caused by traffic, a lack of parking, and lineups can occur while traveling by plane during busy periods.
To put it another way, now is not the time to try to rush things or to leave the house late, especially if you need to get a parking spot at the airport, which may take much longer than you had anticipated.
Schedule a reservation
The MWAA warns that parking will be extremely busy, particularly on weekends and during major holidays.
One strategy to deal with the parking throngs is to reserve your space in advance, which will ensure that you have a space even if the lot is marked as "full."
Paul Malandrino, vice president and manager of Reagan National Airport, said, "Over the past few months, we have seen an increase in parking demand at the airport. We are encouraging travelers to make reservations now, as well as consider alternate ways to arrive at the airport, such as using ride-share services, Metro, and hotel shuttles.
Consult our advice on making reservations for airport parking and make your reservation as soon as you can.
You have a higher chance of getting a spot if you reserve earlier.
Another thing to bear in mind is that you may frequently take advantage of savings by scheduling your parking and making your payment in advance.
In general, you'll be able to save the most money by making reservations and payments in advance for the most expensive parking alternatives.
Lea from MSP advises visitors to reserve their parking space.
"We usually advise visitors to reserve parking in advance in order to save money and ensure a space, which may be quite helpful during the busy holiday travel season.
Travelers who reserve parking in advance receive a $2 per day discount off of the drive-up rates."
You might also be able to locate off-site parking lots that provide shuttle services to the airport at several big airports across the US.
It is preferable to reserve one of these facilities in advance if you can.
In order to properly schedule your transportation time, find out in advance how frequently shuttles run and how long the trip to the airport should take.
Bonus: Compared to parking at the airport, off-site parking lots typically provide significant savings.
Make use of public transportation
You could also elect to leave your automobile at home.
The Metrorail is a suggested alternative for arriving to the airport in the Washington area without a car and avoiding traffic jams, according to the MWAA.
The MWAA has announced that the Dulles International Silver Line Metrorail station will open on November 15.
According to Richard Golinowski, vice president and manager of Dulles International Airport, "the installation of the Silver Line will be a game-changer, and we are looking forward to introducing Dulles guests to a new level of convenience as the busy Christmas travel season takes off."
Additionally, Amtrak provides a means for passengers to reach airports without a car.
Direct rail service to four U.S. airports, including Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE), Newark Liberty International Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), makes this possible (EWR).
Take a ride
If there isn't a public transit option available at your home airport, think about ordering a taxi or a ride-hailing service like Lyft or Uber.
If you decide to go with this option, it would be preferable to use the reserve functions of ride-hailing apps due to the enormous number of people traveling to the airport.
Although it might not be the quickest or cheapest option, this is preferable to having to find and pay for parking.
Additionally, through 2025, you can use Chase to earn up to 10 points for every dollar you spend on Lyft.
Additionally, purchases of Uber can earn you American miles, loyalty points, and statement credits.
In conclusion
This holiday season, airport traffic will be back to 2019 levels and even higher.
Parking lots are therefore anticipated to be nearly full.
Don't leave planning for parking until the last minute.
Make plans to use alternate transportation or reserve a place in advance.
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