Millions of Americans plan to be like Santa and his reindeer and take to the skies in late December.
AAA predicts about 113 million Americans will travel for the 2022 year-end holidays.
Hopper, a company that monitors airfares, forecasted more than 54 million people — including close to 29 million on Christmas week alone — will travel through U.S. airports for the holiday season.
The average cost of round-trip domestic flights for Christmas travel was $339, down 15% from 2021 and 11% from 2019, according to Hopper. But the company said airfares are rising $5 to $10 per day as the holidays draw closer. Hopper expects a peak average fare of more than $400 round trip for domestic travel.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport will welcome thousands of travelers during the holiday season. If you’ll be one of them, here are tips to help get you through the terminal and on your way with a minimum of fuss.
What are the best and worst days to fly around Christmas?
Generally, the days leading up to and after Christmas and New Year’s Eve tend to be the busiest, while it’s less busy to fly on the holidays themselves.
Hopper anticipates more than 3 million travelers nationwide on all but three days between Dec. 18 and Jan. 3. Its forecast showed the three lightest travel days will be Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
In 2022, the busiest days for holiday travel nationwide were Dec. 16-20, 22-23, 26-27, 29-30 and Jan. 2, according to the Transportation Security Administration. It screened at least 2 million passengers on each of those days.
How busy will airports be for the holidays?
In a forecast issued Dec. 12, American Airlines announced it has 91,715 scheduled flights worldwide Dec. 16 through Jan. 2 to meet the holiday travel demand. It expects Dec. 16 and Dec. 22 will be its busiest travel days with more than 5,500 departures each.
American, which accounts for about 40% of Sky Harbor’s flights, has 7,395 flights scheduled to and from Phoenix during the holiday travel period, airline spokesman Derek Walls told The Arizona Republic.
Be sure to leave early enough before your flight’s scheduled departure to give yourself enough time. Arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
How much does it cost to park at the Phoenix airport?
Here’s what you’ll pay to park at Sky Harbor Airport:
- Garages at the terminals cost $30 per day.
- Three economy garages, one on the airport’s west side and two on the east side, charge $16 per day.
- An economy surface lot on the east side costs $14 per day and you can ride the free PHX Sky Train to your terminal.
- An economy “park and walk” lot that offers no transportation to the terminals is $9 per day.
Off-site parking is available through companies like PreFlight Airport Parking and the Parking Spot. They offer covered and uncovered parking plus shuttle service to and from the terminals.
PreFlight’s rates start at $12.99 per day for an uncovered spot. The Parking Spot’s rates vary based on demand, starting at $19.50 per day for uncovered self-parking.
How to drop off or pick up passengers
Sky Harbor strongly urges people to avoid congestion along roadways and terminal curbs during peak travel times by picking up and dropping off passengers at the PHX Sky Train Station at 44th and Washington streets in Phoenix. The traveler can ride the free Sky Train to the terminals.
If you’re picking someone up, wait in one of the free cellphone lots at Sky Harbor instead of driving laps around the terminals.
What if my Christmas flight is canceled?
Download your airline’s app before you travel and enable notifications so you’ll get real-time updates of your flight status.
If your flight is canceled, you can use the app to quickly search for flight options and rebook yourself. It beats hustling to an airline customer service desk and waiting in a long line with your fellow passengers or calling your airline’s 800 number and waiting endlessly to get a customer service representative on the line.
If a cancellation requires an overnight stay and it isn’t weather-related, the airline may also provide reasonable hotel and meal accommodations.
What can you take through security?
Anything considered a liquid or gel can fly in checked luggage. Quantities greater than 3 ounces can’t fly in carry-on bags. These include jams and jellies, oils and vinegars, hummus, ice cream, sauces and dressings, bottled water and alcoholic beverages.
Some items like cakes, pies and solid cheeses can fly in carry-on bags, but ultimately, it’s up to the TSA screener if an item can pass. So, when in doubt, pack an item in your checked luggage. For a full list of foods and drinks and whether you can travel with them, visit https://www.tsa.gov.
TSA strongly advises travelers not to bring wrapped gifts in their carry-on or checked luggage. While wrapped Christmas presents are not prohibited, anything that raises a red flag with a screener can be opened for further inspection.
Don’t forget to go through your empty bags before you pack them and remove any prohibited items. The TSA’s What Can I Bring page has a full list of what can and can’t be packed.
