Thanksgiving 2016 is expected to go down as the Bay Area's biggest travel holiday of all time as airports prepare for a massive increase in passengers flying in and out. The holiday has already been declared as the largest travel surge in almost a decade.
Airports all throughout California's Bay Area are gearing up with extra security, extra staff, and longer hours as millions of Californians are set to travel during Thanksgiving weekend. According to a report by Mountain View Voice, more than 5.8 California natives are expected to travel via land, sea, or sky over the holiday.
According to the report, the number of travelers this Thanksgiving has increased by more than three percent in the past year. Experts suggest that the insurgence of travelers may be attributed to an increased income and improved financial stability.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has told ABC 7 News that the season is expected to be the busiest it's ever seen since its establishment in 2001. With more than 25 million passengers expected to travel during the season, security is said to be of utmost importance, thus prompting airports to brace their passengers for longer airport lines during the holiday.
The San Fransisco International is expected to be the busiest airport in the Bay Area and the seventh busiest airport in the country. Airport officials have stated that travel times from 5:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., to 9:00 p.m. are expected to experience the most passengers.
Other Bay Area airports such as San Jose and Oakland airports are expecting a passenger increase of five and nine percent respectively. The busiest days for airports are predicted to be the Tuesday before and the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
Airports have also prompted passengers to check-in online to avoid cancellation of bookings. In addition, they are recommended to print boarding passes before reaching to the airport, and adhere to packing rules set by TSA so as to avoid additional security checks.
Due to the long lines, domestic passengers are expected to arrive at their designated airports at least 90 minutes before their departure times. International flyers are recommended to arrive at least two hours before departure.
