Airline travel is relied upon to almost triple this Christmas. This is the way to beat the SLC airport rush

Travel specialists with AAA estimate that around 6.4 million Americans will fly eventually between Wednesday and Jan. 2, which would be almost triple the number of individuals who flew during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays the year before.

While that figure would still be around 13% below 2019 holiday travel figures, Aldo Vazquez, a representative for AAA Utah, says numerous travelers will fly once more, adding that COVID-19 vaccines have facilitated the minds of numerous travelers. All things considered, it’s unclear how the abrupt ascent of the omicron variant will factor into travel plans this holiday season.

“With vaccines widely available, conditions are much different and many people feel a greater level of comfort traveling, but travelers will still be mindful of the pandemic and the new omicron variant,” Vazquez said in a statement last week.

Omicron or not, authorities at Salt Lake City International Airport say are preparing for a busy few days ahead of Christmas this week. It’s relied on upon to be particularly busy Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, when it’s assessed that around 25,000 travelers will go through Transportation Security Administration lines all of those days as they fly out of Salt Lake City.

Sunday, the day later Christmas, is likewise expected to be bizarrely busy. It’s likewise anticipated that numbers will get again as a considerable lot of those taking off will return on Jan. 2, making the airport busy for arriving travelers.

The traveler surge estimates depend on ticket information that airport authorities gathered from airlines, said Nancy Volmer, a representative for the Salt Lake City International Airport.

“We have extra staff to help with the number of passengers that are coming through,” she said. “But there are always things they can do to help ease their way, as well.”

The two authorities at the airport and specialists from AAA say there are a few steps travelers can require this year to relieve migraines at the airport.

Bring Your Mask

Federal public safety rules are still set up, which means masks are needed at all U.S. airports and on all U.S. flights. Volmer said it’s likewise suggested that travelers practice great hygiene measures, like washing their hands as often as possible. They are urged to physically distance themselves whenever the situation allows, also.

Prepare

They suggest travelers show up somewhere around two hours before the takeoff time for domestic flights and three hours for international flights to guarantee that any hiccups between showing up at the airport and the boarding time don’t cause you to miss your flight.

This is particularly significant for anybody going through the new Salt Lake airport for the first time, Volmer said. She said individuals who haven’t flown out since the new airport opened last year ought to get ready for changes in stopping, TSA lines, and afterward going through the terminals.

With storms getting back to Utah Thursday and weather likewise affecting the greater part of the West either previously or after that, Volmer adds that travelers should check for any travel delays, at Salt Lake City International Airport as well as at additionally their associating or final destinations. Travelers can use their airline’s website or app to know when there are changes to flight schedules.

Get your ticket early

One method for saving time is to check in with your airline before you get to the airport. Travelers can have their ticket shipped off their phone or they can print it out before they get to the airport.

“You can actually reserve parking at the airport, too. So, if you want to reserve in the parking garage or at the economy parking lot, you can do that in advance,” Volmer said. “That just helps with the stress level and makes that a little easier for people who are coming to the airport.”

Why not take travel?

Assuming you’re worried about stopping, your boarding pass likewise considers a ticket on all Utah Transit Authority modes of transportation the day of the flight. That promotion launched in November as a method for celebrating the opening of the new airport TRAX station. It proceeds through the finish of January 2022.